Kuala Lumpur, April 16: With the advancement of technology, ‘Fatwa’ issued by religious councils must also be equally modern, a Malaysian Islamic High Court judge has said.
“Fatwa must keep up with the times as things are more complex now due to modern technology,” Abdul Rahman Md Yunos, a judge of Kuantan Shariah High Court, said.
He cited an ‘akad nikah’ (solemnisation of marriage) in March where the bridegroom was in Egypt and the bride in Malaysia’s Perak state, with the ceremony conducted via video-conferencing.
“This is something that can be refuted, so we need a fatwa that is equally advanced and modern,” Rahman said, noting that there was currently no fatwa (edicts) on this form of marriage and that certain things needed to be considered.
He said, nevertheless, he would consider a marriage via video-conferencing as valid if it was truly an emergency.
Rahman also asked the public to do away with the perception that the Shariah Court was a taxing place for one to be when dealing with marital problems.
“Our concern is to see to it that a marriage is valid according to Islamic principles and laws. By doing so, we will make certain that (the couple) will have legitimate descendants, a fact Islam emphasises. It will also help curb social ills,” he said.
-PTI