Fatwa

noun/ˈfætwɑ/religion

Definition

An Islamic legal opinion issued by a qualified religious jurist.

Etymology

The noun is borrowed from Arabic فَتْوَى (fatwā, “formal legal opinion”), the verbal noun of أَفْتَى (ʔaftā, “to deliver a formal opinion”) (whence مُفْتٍ (muftin, “mufti”), the active participle of the same verb: see mufti).

In a sentence

The cleric issued a fatwa on the practice.