fatwa

noun

fat·​wa ˈfət-wə How to pronounce fatwa (audio)
ˈfät-wä
: a legal opinion or decree handed down by an Islamic religious leader

Examples of fatwa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 1989, Iran’s then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, calling on Muslims to assassinate Rushdie, sending the Booker Prize-winning author into hiding for six years. Reuters, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024 In August 2022, about 33 years after the fatwa, Rushdie was stabbed on stage during a lecture in New York, which left him blind in one eye and affected the use of one of his hands. Reuters, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024 In October 2003, the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced a fatwa, or ruling, declaring the possession of nuclear weapons to be haram, or prohibited by Islam. Carol E. B. Choksy, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2024 Khamenei issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons in 2003. Dan De Luce, NBC News, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fatwa 

Word History

Etymology

Arabic fatwā

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fatwa was circa 1889

Dictionary Entries Near fatwa

Cite this Entry

“Fatwa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatwa. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on fatwa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!