Over 350,000 fatwas expected to be issued by end of 2010

DUBAI - Over 350,000 fatwas, or Islamic religious decrees, are reportedly expected to be issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowmen (Awqaf) by the end of the year.

The New York Post quoted The National, a Dubai based English language newspaper, as saying that the Fatwa Centre at Awqaf issued the edicts in response to people’s questions submitted online, via text or over the phone about what is permissible under Sharia law.

The most common questions addressed confusion over specifics of worship, the paper said.

However, the other topics that were addressed included the permissibility of car raffles (”It is not permissible to buy a coupon of a specific amount for the purpose of entry in a draw for a car, because it is ambiguous and a kind of gambling”), eating dates from palm trees in public areas (permissible as long as no harm is caused to the tree) and the noisy vuvuzela (”Who ever brings it or trades in it, must ensure that its power is not over 100 decibels so as to avoid damaging people’s hearing.”)

The rulings also said that Muslim women might live on their own “as long as it was in a safe place” and there were no specific prayers for “getting a husband,” the paper added. (ANI)