Fatawa Yasalunak
- Author died
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- Editions
- Maktabat Dandis
Fatawa Yasalunak (They Ask You: Fatwas) is a multi-volume collection of contemporary Islamic legal responsa by the Palestinian jurist Husam al-Din Afana, compiling answers to religious inquiries submitted by the public.
Origin and Publication
The collection originated from a weekly religious column titled Yas'alunak, initiated at the suggestion of Ibrahim Khalil Afana and published every Friday in the Jerusalem newspaper Jaridat al-Quds beginning in 1993. Following positive public reception and an influx of questions submitted through letters, phone calls, and direct consultations, Afana gathered and rearranged the published material thematically after two years to produce the first volume.
The project subsequently expanded into a fourteen-volume general series, alongside specialized thematic volumes such as Yas'alunak 'an al-Zakah (They Ask You About Zakat), Yas'alunak 'an Ramadan (They Ask You About Ramadan), and Yas'alunak 'an al-Mu'amalat al-Maliyya al-Mu'asira (They Ask You About Contemporary Financial Transactions). The published responsa also served as the basis for the author's dedicated online legal archive.
Methodology and Scope
The rulings in the work span creed, acts of worship, contemporary financial transactions, family law, and modern medical questions. Afana adopts a comparative juristic approach rather than adhering strictly to a single legal school (madhhab). His stated methodology relies directly on textual proofs from the Quran, the prophetic Sunnah, and the transmitted legal opinions of the early generations (the Salaf), including the Companions, the Successors, and the classical imams.
In presenting answers, the author emphasizes hadith verification (takhrij), distinguishing authentic reports from weak ones, and cites primary references across different legal schools to identify the best-evidenced position (al-rajih). The writing aims for accessible, simplified language while frequently extending the answers beyond the direct query to provide related legal context.
Reception
In a foreword to the first volume, Musa al-Basit, dean of the College of Da'wah and Islamic Sciences in Umm al-Fahm, commended the work for its methodical verification, reliance on authoritative proofs, consultation of primary classical authorities across multiple legal schools, and rigor in hadith criticism.
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