Al-Azhar Launches New Committee to Review 'Internet Fatwas'

Because of all of our internet and social media, they've been calling this the information age - but really, sometimes it feels more like the misinformation age, with uncles and aunts mass-sending shocking WhatsApp messages from who-knows-where about some terrible law that never actually passed. To keep this kind of misinformation out of religion, Al-Azhar is establishing a committee to moderate and monitor all fatwas before they are uploaded onto Al-Azhar’s official website and various social media platforms.

The committee will be responsible for ensuring that all fatwas published on Al-Azhar’s official website and social media platforms are consistent with the decisions and fatwas of Al-Azhar’s Council of Senior Scholars, and eventually work towards compiling a book of fatwas to be referenced by researchers and academics. They will also be entrusted with the task of developing updates to the fatwa system and regulations.