Melaka State Mufti Office

History of Establishment

Mufti organizations/institutions began to exist before the independence of the Malay Peninsula. In 1957 (after independence), the State of Melaka enacted legislation called Melaka State Administration of Shariah Law Enactment 1959 (amended in 1991 and 2002). The position of Mufti and its functions were formally established under this enactment.

Developments and Separation of the Fatwa Division

Initially, the Melaka Mufti Department was one of the divisions within the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (JAIM) and was known as the Fatwa Division. In 1996, the Public Service Department (JPA) issued a circular regarding the separation of the Fatwa Division from the Islamic Religious Departments of each state in Malaysia. Since then, the fatwa institution in the State of Melaka has operated as the Melaka State Mufti Office under the Melaka Chief Minister's Department.

Mission and Strategy

Based on the intent of establishing this department under the aforementioned enactment, the Melaka State Mufti Office (JMM) has formulated strategies to enhance its contributions and elevate the profile of Islam in the State of Melaka through the following measures:

• Issuing fatwas on matters that have not been conclusively decided or that raise controversy regarding Shariah law.
• Enhancing the community's understanding and appreciation of true Islamic law.
• Developing the field of Islamic astronomy through educational activities, research and astro-tourism.
• Conducting research and development (R&D) in the fields of fatwa and Islamic astronomy.
• Leveraging information and communication technology across all departmental activities.
• Establishing cooperative relationships with agencies, statutory bodies, educational institutions, or non-governmental organizations that have expertise in related fields.