Press Release
The Fatwa of the Grand Mufti of the Quds and the Bayt al-Maqdis Regarding the Upcoming Municipal Council Elections!
(Translated)

A fatwa was issued by the Palestinian Fatwa House on 21/4/2026, signed by the Grand Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, in response to a question related to the ruling on participation in the upcoming municipal council elections. However, the Mufti’s answer came regarding the ruling of electing municipal councils in general. It came in the fatwa: “The basis is that the ruling on municipal elections – candidacy and voting – is subject to juristic reasoning in which the rules of interests and harms are considered... and conducting elections to manage those councils is a vital matter that people are supposed to cooperate in achieving... and the basis is that the work of local councils and electing the bodies that manage them be within this framework without committing any sin or any legally prohibited matter...” End of quote from the fatwa.

Due to the fact that the wording of the answer came in a way from which the permissibility of these elections is understood, it became necessary to clarify the following:

Firstly: Indeed, when the questioner asks about the upcoming elections, the basis is that the answer should be a direct answer about them. For the question is not about absolute municipal elections but about the upcoming elections that are conducted under conditions that satisfy America and the Jews. And resorting to the general legal ruling in local council elections contradicts the covenant that Allah (swt) took upon those who were given knowledge:

[وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ] “And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], ‘You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it.’” [Aal-i ‘Imran:187].

Secondly: If the Mufti is keen on the Hukm Shari’ (legal ruling) – and we hope that he is so – then the time has not passed, and we place before him the situation of the upcoming elections so that he speaks the truth and clarifies to the people the legal ruling regarding elections whose purpose is renewing a worn-out “legitimacy” for the Palestinian Authority (PA), and whose motive is commitment to the “reform” pledges that the PA committed to before the Western states, and not achieving the interests of the people so that it would be considered among interests while it is closer to harms. Then what is the legal ruling regarding the pledge that the PA placed upon every candidate for the local council elections which stipulates (commitment to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people, and its political and national program, and the relevant international legitimacy decisions)?

And what is the legal ruling regarding an organization that signed and relinquished the land of Al-Isra and Al-Mi‘raj, that land subject to land tax which was conquered by Umar ibn al-Khattab and liberated by Salah al-Din and the Muslims after him? And what is the legal ruling in taking it as the sole representative of the Palestinian people while it has betrayed Allah and His Messenger (saw) and the Blessed Land? And the legal ruling regarding the program of the organization based on coexistence with the usurping entity of the land of Palestine?

And what is the legal ruling regarding the Oslo Accords which the organization committed to? And the legal ruling regarding the international decisions which divided Palestine and gave what was occupied in 1948 of its land as pure ownership to the Jews? And what is the ruling on the one who pledged all those crimes? Then after that, what is the ruling on the one who elected the one who pledged all these crimes? Since electing him is authorization and acceptance of his pledge in which he betrays Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw)?

Thirdly: Indeed, the organization proceeded in its betrayal, then the PA came after it and followed crimes with crimes. And above its betrayal, it never cared about Islam nor about its rulings. And it declared itself from the first day a secular organization that produced a secular authority. So neither the PA nor the organization before it care about the legal ruling. And whoever follows their path likewise does not care about the legal ruling. But the resort of these to the legal rulings is only from the door of deceiving the people of Palestine who fear Allah and fear that they be written with Allah as betrayers of Allah and His Messenger (saw). Accordingly, the general fatwa regarding the ruling of local council elections is misleading to the people and a door opened by those who have no share to push the people of Palestine towards betrayal. Whoever occupies the position of issuing fatwa to the people must be the most keen of people not to mislead them. And Allah (swt) said:

[إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ]

“Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture – those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse.” [Al-Baqarah:159].

Fourthly: Indeed, the fatwa of whoever issued a fatwa does not make the clear rulings of Allah unknown. For it is among the established matters and what is known of the religion by necessity among Muslims, and among the people of Palestine, that any indication, near or far, in which there is the smell of relinquishing the blessed land is a crime and a betrayal of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) and the believers, even if everyone on earth issued fatwas contrary to that.

Fifthly: Indeed, that betrayal will not attain anything by it, even if it were enjoyment from worldly life or even a temporary gain from its adornment. For all the concessions of the organization did not avail it with the Jews. And every concession from the Shariah of Allah and His Messenger (saw) that the betrayers present will not benefit them just as it did not benefit those who betrayed Allah before. So anything that Satan and his helpers beautify for the people of Palestine, neither worldly life will be attained by it nor the Hereafter will be secured by it. And what loss is greater than this! Indeed, that is the clear loss.

Allah (swt) said:

[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَخُونُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ]

“O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know [the consequence].” [Al-Anfal:27].

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in the Blessed Land – Palestine