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About Fatwa Lab
First announced at the 2024 Fatwa Conference, it was introduced to address contemporary issues facing the Muslim community. It serves as a platform for aspiring religious scholars and researchers to apply critical thinking, multi-disciplinary research, and develop fatwa formulation skills.
Last updated 20 June 2025
Introduction
Mission
To cultivate a new generation of thought leaders in Islamic jurisprudence capable of addressing complex contemporary challenges through a comprehensive, innovative, and forward-thinking approach.
Vision
To establish a Fatwa academy that exemplifies intellectual excellence in Islamic jurisprudence, fostering a culture of critical thinking, collaboration, and ethical leadership within the context of Singapore.
Research focus
The Fatwa Lab will focus on contemporary challenges that require a deep and multifaceted understanding, encompassing economic, social, political, medical, and legal aspects. By conducting forward-thinking research, the Lab aims to anticipate and address potential future challenges, providing proactive solutions that align with the evolving needs of Muslim communities.
Approach
The Fatwa Lab will employ a multidisciplinary approach, convening religious scholars and experts from diverse fields to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of socio-religious issues. By adopting a forward-thinking approach, the Lab will anticipate and address potential challenges through hypothetical scenarios, drawing upon the principles of al-Fiqh al-Iftirāḍī to provide proactive solutions.
Background
In the contemporary global landscape, Muslims encounter increasingly intricate and multidimensional challenges. These issues often transcend singular domains, necessitating a comprehensive analysis that encompasses economic, social, political, medical, and legal frameworks. Such an approach is essential to attain a nuanced and holistic understanding of the challenges at hand.
The Fatwa Lab addresses this need by fostering collaboration between religious scholars and experts from diverse fields. This convergence of knowledge allows for a comprehensive understanding of socio-religious issues, enabling the development of robust and progressive solutions firmly rooted in Islamic principles.
The nomenclature "Fatwa Lab" aptly reflects the creative process inherent in problem-solving. Analogous to scientific laboratories where researchers conduct experiments to generate new knowledge and solutions, the Fatwa Lab serves as an intellectual space for innovative thinking within Islamic jurisprudence.
This platform encourages scholars, researchers, and experts to explore potential solutions, engage in lateral thinking, and refine ideas through consultation. It fosters a comprehensive and informed approach to addressing intricate contemporary and future challenges, leveraging insights from both Islamic jurisprudence and the broader fields of social and natural sciences. As societal issues grow increasingly intricate, the solutions must be robust and progressive while remaining firmly rooted in Islamic principles and values.
Methodology
The Fatwa Lab initiative, rooted in Singapore's Fatwa Institution methodology, aligns with the four-stage fatwa issuance process: Al-Taṣwīr (conceptualisation), Al-Takyīf (adaptation), Al-Ḥukm (Ruling), and Al-Iftā' (Issuance of Fatwa). Focusing on the first three stages, the Fatwa Lab conducts comprehensive issue analysis and deliberates on religious principles. The final stage Al-Iftā' stage remains the exclusive responsibility of Fatwa Committee of Singapore.
The Fatwa Lab initiative employs two key approaches:
1. Forward-thinking
In our traditions of Islamic jurisprudence, some prominent jurists suggested the development of fatwas and responses to hypothetical questions, which are questions that have not yet arisen. This field of jurisprudence, mainly popularised by Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, is known as al-Fiqh al-Iftirāḍī. As Imām Abū Ḥanīfah eloquently stated:
“We prepare for calamity before it befalls us. Thus, when it occurs, we know how to enter into it and how to emerge from it”
This forward-thinking approach to Islamic law seeks to anticipate and address potential challenges before they arise. By studying hypothetical scenarios, jurists aim to equip Muslims with the knowledge and confidence to navigate future complexities. This proactive stance is evident in the diverse range of contemporary issues that Fatwa Lab researchers will investigate.
2. Multidisciplinary approach
Our Islamic tradition, exemplified by Imām al-Shāfiʻī, has long embraced a multidisciplinary approach to complex issues. When matters require specialized knowledge, such as in the medical field, expert guidance is sought to inform religious rulings.
Al-Imām al-Shāfiʻī, articulated this principle when discussing the permissibility of sun-heated water (al-Mā’ al-Mushammas), stating:
"I do not object to sun-heated water, except from a medical standpoint."
As our society and sciences continue to evolve, it is imperative that religious thought remains adaptable and incorporates insights from various fields. This ensures that fatwas issued are not only grounded in Islamic principles but also align with contemporary understanding.
The Fatwa Lab initiative fosters a multidisciplinary approach by convening experts from diverse fields. Our inaugural series of Fatwa Lab sessions has already showcased the productive collaboration among researchers and experts from various disciplines.
Publications
Fatwa Lab: Highlights & insights
This inaugural edition of Fatwa Lab Insights presents a concise overview and synthesis of the research findings generated by four distinct groups participating in the initial series of Fatwa Lab. The areas of focus encompass: (i) Artificial intelligence, (ii) Food technology, (iii) Medical technology, and (iv) Finance.
The Fatwa institution in Singapore: Journey & methodoloy
This publication, launched at the 2024 Conference on Fatwas in Contemporary Societies, offers a comprehensive exploration of the historical context and the seven methodological frameworks that underpin the Fatwa institution of Singapore.
Read The Fatwa institution in Singapore: Journey & methodology (English version) [PDF, 7.7 MB]
Read The Fatwa institution in Singapore: Journey & methodology (Arabic version) [PDF, 1.7 MB]
Email contact
To contact us, please email fatwalab@muis.gov.sg