# يفتي



## Little_LIS

Hey everybody,

Does anyone know what"يفتى" means in English ?


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## ayed

to issue a fatwa


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## Little_LIS

Thanks Ayed, so there's no English word for it


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## ayed

Dr.Susy said:


> Thanks Ayed, so there's no English word for it


 English-natives may give a better answer than I do.


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## WadiH

A "fatwa" is an opinion on a point of law (usually Islamic law).


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## Josh_

I would just recommend translating it as "to issue an opinion on a point of (Islamic) law" or something similar.

The word 'fatwa' has found its way into the West (so 'to issue a fatwa is possible' is a possible translation), but it has taken on negative associations, so I would avoid it.


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## londonmasri

To issue a (religous/islamic) ruling.
 Pass a fatwa.
 pass a religous ruling.


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## djamal 2008

londonmasri said:


> To issue a (religous/islamic) ruling.
> Pass a fatwa.
> pass a religous ruling.



Fatwa is an edict, édit en français.


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## WadiH

Josh_ said:


> I would just recommend translating it as "to issue an opinion on a point of (Islamic) law" or something similar.
> 
> The word 'fatwa' has found its way into the West (so 'to issue a fatwa is possible' is a possible translation), but it has taken on negative associations, so I would avoid it.



Yes, unfortunately, the word fatwa has come to be understood as "death warrant" in the West.  That's why I would say "to *give* an opinion on a point of law" instead of "*issue*," so as not to feed into the notion that fatwas are somehow official or obligatory commands.


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## Josh_

True, "to issue" could imply an official ruling by one vested with the power to render such rulings.  "To give" would lessen the authority of it.

I was also thinking we could say "to give a legal opinion (on a point of Islamic law), 'legal opinion' being a common and official term in many English speaking countries, although the precise legal usage of 'legal opinion' may differ from that of فتوى.


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## xebonyx

Though the religious element/aspect is key to the defintion, is it not, or would context determine that?


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## WadiH

xebonyx said:


> Though the religious element/aspect is key to the defintion, is it not, or would context determine that?



As I said, a fatwa is usually an opinion on Islamic law, but the verb يفتي can be used in a non-Islamic context as well; in fact it can be used in a non-legal context (e.g. if someone who's not a doctor tries to diagnose you with something you could tell him لا تفتي في شي ما تفهم فيه), though that usage is probably more colloquial.  By the way, an opinion survey in Arabic is often called استفتاء للرأي, and even a referendum is called استفتاء.


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## xebonyx

Good to know.



Wadi Hanifa said:


> in fact it can be used in a non-legal context (e.g. if someone who's not a doctor tries to diagnose you with something you could tell him لا تفتي في شي ما تفهم فيه), though that usage is probably more colloquial.


So basically this is like saying: "Don't talk (nonense) about something like you understand it".


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## WadiH

djamal 2008 said:


> Fatwa is an edict, édit en français.



Some fatwas can act like edicts (e.g. those given by a country's grand mufti), but the vast majority of fatwas cannot be described as such.


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## WadiH

xebonyx said:


> Good to know.
> 
> 
> So basically this is like saying: "Don't talk (nonense) about something like you understand it".



More like "don't give an opinion on something that you're not qualified to talk about."


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## Little_LIS

xebonyx said:


> Good to know.
> 
> 
> So basically this is like saying: "Don't talk (nonense) about something like you understand it".


 
Thanks all for your replies 

Actually I want to know about that one Xebonyx 

A word that describes a person who's always claiming to know everything although he doesn't. He always say wrong ones.

In Egypt we say, "byfty". So, Is there a single word in English to describe it?

Thanks a lot.


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## Phoenix92

It means: deliver an opinion


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## xebonyx

Dr.Susy said:


> Thanks all for your replies
> 
> Actually I want to know about that one Xebonyx
> 
> A word that describes a person who's always claiming to know everything although he doesn't. He always say wrong ones.
> 
> In Egypt we say, "byfty". So, Is there a single word in English to describe it?
> 
> Thanks a lot.



I would use "posturing". Another version of it can be expressed as an expletive: bullshitting.


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## cherine

Dr.Susy said:


> In Egypt we say, "byfty". So, Is there a single word in English to describe it?


When I first saw the thread title, I thought that's what you were asking about (i.e. The Egyptian usage). I think we can use "Mr. Know-it-all" (or however English speakers write it) for someone who beyefti felli maluush fiih بيفتي في اللي مالوش فيه = someone who speaks with a tone of knowledge about things he knows nothing about.

As for the word fatwa, I agree with Wadi that it's not necessarily related to religion. A legal edict is also called فتوى قانونية .


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## xebonyx

cherine said:


> ...I think we can use "Mr. Know-it-all"...



Be careful using "know-it-all", though. As a contranym, it can have that meaning(usually accompanied with a sarcastic or rude tone in that case), but it can just as well (if not more) commonly mean to _actually know everything_, which is why I suggested the words I did.


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## cherine

xebonyx said:


> Be careful using "know-it-all", though. As a contranym, it can have that meaning(usually accompanied with a sarcastic or rude tone in that case), but it can just as well (if not more) commonly mean to _actually know everything_, which is why I suggested the words I did.


Thanks for the information, Andrea.
We sometimes use مفتي with the sarcastic meaning implied in "know-it-all". And that was the only meaning I knew of the English expression. I didn't know it couls be used "seriously".


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## xebonyx

cherine said:


> thanks for the information, andrea.
> We sometimes use مفتي with the sarcastic meaning implied in "know-it-all". And that was the only meaning i knew of the english expression. I didn't know it couls be used "seriously".



العفو


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## Little_LIS

xebonyx said:


> Be careful using "know-it-all", though. As a contranym, it can have that meaning(usually accompanied with a sarcastic or rude tone in that case), but it can just as well (if not more) commonly mean to _actually know everything_, which is why I suggested the words I did.


 

Thanks everybody for your valuable replies 

So, I can make fun of someone who's always "byfty" and call him "Mr.Know-it-all", right ?


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## londonmasri

cherine said:


> We sometimes use مفتي with the sarcastic meaning implied in "know-it-all". And that was the only meaning I knew of the English expression. I didn't know it couls be used "seriously".




 Hey folks

The expression know it all (and I can only speak for the UK) is always used sarcastically, or is at least, value-laden and carries connotations.

 If someone is described as a 'know-it-all' it means _he thinks he knows it all_ *unless* the speaker makes a concerted effort to imply otherwise. 

 So a 'know it all' in my opinion would be a good translation for some who _yefty felli maluush fiiih_.

 This may not be the case in the US.


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## xebonyx

Dr.Susy said:


> Thanks everybody for your valuable replies
> 
> So, I can make fun of someone who's always "byfty" and call him "Mr.Know-it-all", right ?


 
Yes. As I said before, it all depends on tone and context. If you're being sarcastic about it, you're implying that he doesn't necessarily "know-it-all". Otherwise, the person is just showing off his or her intelligence.


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## londonmasri

Hey xebonyx 

 Yeah I agree.

 But I would say the 'default' meaning (if there ever is one) is pejorative.


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## clevermizo

I would say as a native speaker of American English, that I would never use "know-it-all" in a serious sense, only in a sarcastic or pejorative sense. This is also how I would understand it from other people. In fact, I can't think of anyone I know in my peer set who would use it other than sarcastically. Maybe it's a regional thing.


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## xebonyx

Hmm, I don't know about the regional thing. I just know how I've come across the term in two ways (speaking in AE).

EDIT: And this includes the person actually knowing it all, to be extremely knowledgeable in something. It's another part of the definition.


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## MarcB

I have heard it only in a negative way. Even if the person does really know it all.


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## ayed

MarcB said:


> I have heard it only in a negative way. Even if the person does really know it all.


 _In this case, It would be a sort of saying: shut up/not your business/mind your business.._


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## xebonyx

MarcB said:


> I have heard it only in a negative way. *Even if the person does really know it all*.



And that's the exactly the point I was making.


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## londonmasri

oops!  

Sorry


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