Unanimous Fatwa (Istifta Response)
In the Name of Allah the Most Beneficent the Most Merciful
The Response: All praise belongs to Allah and peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger…
1. Response to the questions is as under: Indeed Islamic Republic of Pakistan is an Islamic State according to its Constitution that begins with the following sentence of the Objectives Resolution, “Whereas sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust.”
This Objectives Resolution was made part of the Constitution with the consensus of all religious and political parties and remained part of every constitution from 1956 to 1973, and does exist as such in the current constitution. Additionally, Article 31 of the Constitution provides detailed policy principles to enable the Muslims of Pakistan to order their lives in accordance with the Islamic way of life. Likewise, in Article 227 it is affirmed that all existing laws shall be brought in conformity with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, and no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to Islamic injunctions. The Federal Shariat Court and Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, established under the Constitution, are empowered to ensure that these constitutional principles are respected. Every citizen of Pakistan has the right to challenge laws that are repugnant to the injunctions of Islam in these courts for bringing them in conformity with Islam.