FATWA PHENOMENON IN THE DIGITAL AGE; FROM CONCEPT ANALYSIS TO PROBLEM SOLVING

Abstract

The development of information technology has made humans able to access information and disseminate it quickly and easily. Muslims also use it to spread da’wa, islamic thoughts and fatwas. The Mufti in the digital age doesn’t only sit in mosques or ifta’ offices,  but he also provide advisory service  on the social media and website. Mufti and mustafti potitions are like dokter and his patient. Diagnosis and analysis of problem is necessary before giving fatwa advice, so that the fatwa is in accordance with the conditions of mustafti and does not deviate from the Maqashid al Syariah. Recently, certain fatwas had spread across the internet, some of it has caused controversy and sparked discord. This research addresses renewed fatwa problems according to the changing behavior of people in communication by explaining the fatwa concepts and their application in the age of social media and clarifying their controls and limitations, in addition to controversial fatwas and reducing it’s negative effects.