fatwa

American  

[faht-wah] / ˈfɑt wɑ /

noun

1. an Islamic religious decree issued by the ʿulama.

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fatwa British  

/ ˈfætwɑː /

noun

1. a non-binding judgment on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized religious authority

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Etymology

Origin of fatwa

First recorded in 1985–90, fatwa is from the Arabic word fatwā

Example Sentences

For over a decade the author lived in hiding, protected by the British government, until a deal was reached in which the fatwa was officially rescinded in exchange for Britain's granting diplomatic recognition to Tehran.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Ditto for Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s encounter with wolves in the garden of his villa in Vermont, or Ruhollah Khomeini’s fatwa on Salman Rushdie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

He has not said whether his alleged actions were influenced by the fatwa.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2025

Iranian diplomats for years have pointed to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s preachings as a binding fatwa, or religious edict, that Iran wouldn’t seek an atomic bomb.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2023

After the fatwa was rescinded in 1998, Rushdie seemed to relish his renewed freedom, and expressed gratitude to those who had stood by him and defended his right to publish.

From New York Times • Jan. 25, 2023