FatwaFederal TerritoriesLegal Theory & Methodology
IRSYAD USUL FIQH SIRI KE-77: BILAKAH KEADAAN YANG DIBENARKAN UNTUK MENGAMBIL PANDANGAN MAZHAB LAIN?
When is a Shafi'i follower in Malaysia permitted to adopt the views of another school of jurisprudence?
Short answer
Most states in Malaysia, including the Federal Territories, follow the Shafi'i school, but a non-dominant view or a view from another school may be adopted when public interest or an urgent need is involved.
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
- Irsyad Usul al-Fiqh
- Topic
- Legal Theory & Methodology
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Most states in Malaysia, including the Federal Territories, follow the Shafi'i school, but a non-dominant view or a view from another school may be adopted when public interest or an urgent need is involved. Doing so does not take a person out of the Shafi'i school. The adoption must meet the scholars' conditions and must not be done casually, by seeking out easy rulings (tatabu' al-rukhas), or through prohibited talfiq. Some scholars state that choosing a weaker view within one's own school is preferable, because the conditions are hard to meet.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Mengambil pandangan mazhab lain hendaklah dilakukan dengan berhati-hati dengan meraikan syarat-syaratnya serta tidak berlaku talfiq yang dilarang iaitu campur aduk pandangan imam mujtahid di dalam sesuatu perkara.
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. “IRSYAD USUL FIQH SIRI KE-77: BILAKAH KEADAAN YANG DIBENARKAN UNTUK MENGAMBIL PANDANGAN MAZHAB LAIN?”, 2 May 2025. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-usul-fiqh/6227-irsyad-usul-fiqh-siri-ke-77-bilakah-keadaan-yang-dibenarkan-untuk-mengambil-pandangan-mazhab-lain. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/when-may-one-adopt-another-school-views/