Fatwas for cash scandal

The ulemas and muftis (senior scholars and clerics) described the act as "shameful" and "condemnable". Mufti Ahsan Qasmi of Darul Uloom Waqf, Deoband said taking money to issue Fatwas was 'illegal' and an offence in Shariayt.[5]

The scandal also led to a debate among the ulemas and muftis as well as the Muslim populace on questions like "what constitutes a fatwa" and "who has legitimate authority to issue a fatwa".[2] Students of one madrassa denounced the clerics and the congregation of a mosque whose Mufti had been caught on camera, refused to offer prayers until the Mufti came before them, admitted his misconduct, and apologized.[2]

Habibur Rahman Khairabadi of Darul Uloom Deoband was among the accused.[1] Muḥammadullah Khalīli Qāsmi said that Habibur Rahman's "fatwa" about the permissibility of credit card was misquoted as his fatwa in the registry of the seminary's Dārul Ifta says that "in essence credit card is permissible" and it was quoted otherwise.[1] Habibur Rahman was also accused of taking bribes for issuing the edicts; and it was likely proven wrong.[1] Mufti Mahmud Hussain who is a Mufti at the seminary and holds a chair near to Habibur Rahman, witnessed that the questioners offered Habibur Rahman some money, which he rejected strongly.[1] The Darul Uloom Deoband set up a committee to investigate this case and it was found that the Mufti did not take any money for issuing edicts.[1] Instead, the money that he was seen putting in his bag, was a profitable amount that he had received for the sale of his books.[1] The committee also noted that since the edict was Islamically correct; there was no sense in saying that "the edicts were issued according to someone's will".[1] The other institutes also rejected the accusations made in the sting.[1] Khalīli expressed that the program was dishonest and deceit, and it was Muslim hostility of media which was exposed.[1]