Page "Fatwā" Paragraph 21

In Morocco, where king Mohammed VI is also Amir al-Muminin ( Commander of the Faithful ), the authorities have tried to organize the field by creating a scholars ' council ( conseil des oulémas ) composed of Muslim scholars ( ulama ), which is the only one allowed to issue fatāwā.

In this case, a national theocracy could in fact compel intra-national compliance with the fatwā, since a central authority is the source.

Even then, however, the issue would not necessarily be religiously binding for the residents of that nation.

For, the state may have the power to put a fatwā in effect, but that does not mean that the fatwā is to be religiously accepted by all.

For instance, if a state fatwā council made abortion acceptable in the first trimester without any medical reason, that would have direct impact on official procedures in hospitals and courts in that country.

Yet, this would not mean that the Muslims in that nation has to agree with that fatwā, or that the fatwā is religiously binding for them.