Last week, the king of Saudi Arabia issued a royal order decreeing that the only Islamic scholars allowed to issue fatwas will be those approved by himself.
The move has been welcomed by some as an attempt to impose discipline on the chaotic business of fatwa-issuing and also put a stop to "strange" fatwas, like the recent one on breast-feeding adult men in order to overcome the kingdom's strict rules on gender segregation.
In a sermon on Friday, the imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca praised the king's decree, saying it would protect sharia law "from infringements of unqualified people who deviate from the path of the Prophet", adding: "The king is determined to stop any transgression against approved religious establishments." [Guardian Cif] Read more
