ENACTMENT NO. 7 OF 1993 ADMINISTRATION OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS ENACTMENT OF THE STATE OF PENANG 1993
PART III - MUFTI AND SYARIAH COMMITTEE
Section 36. Fatwa
(1) Subject to section 39(5) the Mufti shall on the direction of the Yang di - Pertuan Agong, and may, on his own initiative or on the request of any person made by letter addressed to the Mufti, make and publish in the Gazettea fatwaor ruling on any unsettled or controversial question of or relating to Islamic Law.
(2) No statement made by the Mufti shall be taken to be a fatwaunless and until it is published in the Gazette pursuant to subsection (1).
(3) Upon publication in the Gazette, a fatwashall be binding on every Muslim resident in the State of Penang as a dictate of his religion and it shall be his religious duty to abide by and uphold the fatwa, unless he is permitted by Islamic Law to depart from the fatwa in matters of personal observance, belief, or opinion.
(4) A fatwashall be recognized by all Courts in the State of Penang as authoritative of all matters laid down therein.
(5) Notwithstanding the provision of subsection (2) a written statement made by the Mufti may be deemed as a fatwafor trial in any Court.