Arabic (فرض كفاية) for collective obligation. It is an act that is obligatory only for the community (Islamic ummah) in general, rather than for every Muslim. Differently stated, it refers to a duty or obligation (fardh) whose performance is the collective responsibility of the Muslim community, but not that of specific individuals. If no one carries out this obligation, then it is the entire community would be bound to task individuals with the performance thereof. An example of fardh kifayah is all matters related to Islamic law and finance, where shari’a scholars perform the duty of enacting laws and issuing fatwas on behalf of the community.
February 26, 2023
