FatwaFederal TerritoriesCrime & Sharia Law
AL-KAFI #2043: HUKUM SAMAN FITNAH DARI PERSPEKTIF SYARAK
Is filing a defamation suit permissible in Islamic law?
Short answer
Filing a defamation suit is permissible based on the view of some contemporary scholars.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Crime & Sharia Law
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Filing a defamation suit is permissible based on the view of some contemporary scholars. Most classical jurists held that there is no compensation for moral harm because compensation is monetary, but some jurists later required compensation for moral loss. The fatwa stresses that defamation today can seriously damage a person's reputation and life, and that such a suit helps educate public conduct and protect the objective of preserving dignity.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Hukum saman fitnah adalah harus berdasarkan pandangan sebahagian ulama kontemporari.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #2043: HUKUM SAMAN FITNAH DARI PERSPEKTIF SYARAK”, 13 October 2025. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/6393-al-kafi-2043-hukum-saman-fitnah-dari-perspektif-syarak. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-defamation-lawsuit-in-islam/