MWL Secretary-General Launches First Forum For Fiqh Scholars In Kuala Lumpur To Enhance Islamic Jurisprudence Education

The First Forum for Fiqh Scholars was inaugurated by Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL), in Kuala Lumpur. This event, titled "Teaching Islamic Fiqh and Cultivating the Faqih: Guiding Principles and Frameworks," gathered senior muftis and fiqh scholars from around the world. Organised by the Islamic Fiqh Council under Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's patronage, it aimed to enhance understanding of Islamic jurisprudence.

Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, conveyed a speech through Fahd bin Saad Al-Majid, emphasising that fiqh is a specialised knowledge field. He noted the vast scholarly archive of jurisprudential works available today. The Grand Mufti hoped the forum would generate studies to make this extensive body of knowledge more accessible to students.

The Grand Mufti highlighted the importance of evaluating university curricula across the Islamic world. He stressed developing scholars capable of research, critical reasoning, and addressing modern issues. He expressed gratitude to the Islamic Fiqh Council for fostering unity among Muslims through sound scholarly reasoning.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa welcomed attendees, affirming fiqh's role as an authoritative framework for understanding practical Islamic rulings. He praised senior scholars for their contributions to Islamic unity by reinforcing knowledge and ethics bonds among different schools of thought.

Al-Issa highlighted that diverse fiqh schools enrich intellectual discourse, showcasing Sharia’s flexibility across times and places. He warned against those who memorise texts without understanding their meanings or ethics, missing Allah's grace and Sharia's tolerance.

He emphasised understanding diverse views and building bridges between schools through dialogue and respect. Scholars with varied opinions are like bricks in a structure that grows stronger through diversity and integration.

The forum aims to produce recommendations making fiqh knowledge more accessible while fostering unity among Muslims worldwide. It underscores the need for critical evaluation of teaching methods to develop scholars equipped for contemporary challenges.

With inputs from SPA