Our Fatwa Methodology
How Ask Zakariya produces its Islamic content — our scholar, our sources, and our process.
Who Writes and Reviews
Every article on Ask Zakariya is written and personally reviewed by Zakariya Shafi — Dars-e-Nizami (Wifaq-ul-Madaris), M.Phil in Islamic Studies (BZU Multan), with 15 years of teaching Islamic studies and 10 years of dawah work.
No article publishes anonymously. No article publishes without his review.
Our Fiqh Approach
Our default framework is Hanafi fiqh, the school followed by the majority of Muslims in the US, UK, and South Asia. Where the schools differ on an issue, we say so honestly — presenting the Hanafi position first, then noting the Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali positions fairly, without declaring the other schools invalid.
We do not present one opinion as “the only Islam” when qualified scholars have legitimately differed.
Our Sources
Our rulings and explanations are drawn from, in order:
- The Quran
- Authentic hadith — Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the other canonical collections
- Classical Hanafi texts and recognized commentaries
- Contemporary fatwa bodies and scholars — including AMJA and FCNA (North American context), AAOIFI (Islamic finance standards), and senior scholars such as Mufti Taqi Usmani
Every factual claim about a ruling is traceable to a source. Where we cite a fatwa, we name the scholar or body and the date.
Human Review, Always
We use AI tools to assist with drafting and research — but no article is published by AI alone. Every piece of content is reviewed, corrected, and approved by Zakariya Shafi before it goes live. If a reader spots an error, we correct it and note the correction.
What We Don’t Do
- We do not issue personal fatwas. Our articles explain general rulings; your specific situation may have details that change the answer.
- For personal or complex matters — marriage, divorce, inheritance disputes, business contracts — consult a qualified scholar or mufti directly.
- Our content is educational. It does not replace scholarly counsel.
Corrections
If we publish something inaccurate, we fix it promptly and transparently. Readers can report concerns via our contact page.
Effective: October 2026.