What Is a Fatwa¯?

This chapter aims to explore the linguistic and juridical meaning of the fatwā, as well as its historical evolution—a prerequisite for being able to understand how the use of the fatwā by Muslims has changed with the advent of mass media and, in particular, the Internet and digital media. It will be argued that the fatwā was, in the early stages of Islamic history, until the gates of ijtihād were closed, a space of freedom, that is, a fundamental tool for renewing religion and connecting the religious texts with the lived reality of believers.