RNA – In an official statement, Dr. Mohammad-Mokhtar Gomaa, the Egyptian Minister of Endowments, stated that in the current era, [Sunni] Muslims have suffered and have fallen into great difficulties from the erroneous and unusual verdicts delivered by unqualified, cowardly and fame-seeking muftis.
He added that because of the current conditions facing the world, there is a need to issue new and contemporary fatwas. Also, many issues currently facing the Islamic world have not been resolved through opinions and fatwas of past scholars which were in accordance with the conditions their eras.
“Also, certain unqualified individuals have issued uncommon fatwas which have led to the defamation of Islam. It has come clear to us that today, more than ever before, we need collective ijtihad,” he said.
Dr. Gomaa also referred to the recent speech by Ahmad el-Tayyib, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, in regard to the necessity of collective ijtihad by the senior scholars of the Islamic world and added that scholars from different countries understand the contemporary problems of Islamic community and can bravely confront these issues and give their opinions.
The Egyptian Minister of Endowments stressed that due to issues in the contemporary world, such as terrorism, Takfirism, rebellion against society, the propagation of violence, murder, bombings, issues relating to human rights, women’s issues and their rights, moon-sighting and other jurisprudential issues, Muslims in Egypt are in need of new fatwas which are based on respect and save them from lethargy. “In regard to sensitive and important issues, scholars must not issue abstract and unenforceable fatwas,” he said.
Dr. Gomaa said that the issue of collective ijtihad can overcome the contemporary circumstances facing Muslims which have been caused the issuance of erroneous and difficult fatwas and can also destroy the extremism and violence which has become widespread throughout the Islamic world. The cause of most of the unusual fatwas, is due to misunderstandings and literal understandings of religious texts and the general rules of Islamic law and their divine purpose.
He added that in the present era, collective ijtihad has the ability to combat extremist and terrorist groups who are taking advantage and abusing the religion of Islam. This issue is essential because such groups use religion as a tool to achieve their political and partisan interests and prefer these interests over the interests of Islam and Muslims.
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