Mufti of the Republic: Islamic heritage is a basis for diligence in fatwas and the preservation of the interest of the nation
Dr. Nazir Muhammad Ayyad, Mufti of the Republic, Head of the General Secretariat of Fatwa Houses and Bodies in the World, affirmed that the Islamic heritage constitutes a solid basis for diligence in issuing fatwas, and that benefiting from it is necessary to achieve the interests of the nation in light of contemporary challenges, explaining that dealing with heritage must be with a scientific approach based on balance and moderation without excess or negligence, as it represents a huge intellectual outcome behind it. Imams, scholars and thinkers throughout the ages.
This came during the lecture delivered by His Eminence at the Faculty of Sharia and Law, at the University of Islamic Sciences in Malaysia, under the title “Heritage as a basis for ijtihad in issuing fatwas…the challenges and the importance of preserving the interest of the nation”.
His Eminence the Mufti of the Republic explained that the position The Islamic heritage of our time has varied along three main trends: There are those who went to extremes in adhering to it to the point of making it synonymous with true religion, and called for adherence to all the sayings and doctrines contained in it without considering the change in time and place, considering that this position is inadequate and does not express the spirit of Islam, stressing that if the predecessors, may God have mercy on them, had returned to life again, their positions and opinions would have changed in proportion to the reality of life today, while others went to the opposite, denying the heritage and counting Returning to him is backwardness and calling for a break with him and being drawn behind materialistic theories even if they contradict religion, stressing that this position deviates from the sound scientific method and ignores the cultural and intellectual value of the Islamic heritage, while the third trend is represented by the intermediate position between this and that, which is what the Al-Azhar Al-Sharif’s comprehensive and universal approach is based on, so they take from it what is appropriate to the reality of people today, and refuse to accept the sayings and opinions that were said in contexts. His Eminence the Mufti stated that the optimal methodology for dealing with heritage is based on four basic pillars, which are denying it the attribute of infallibility, because it is a human effort that is subject to error and correctness, and that dealing with it should be in accordance with the methodology indicated by the philosopher Ibn Rushd, may God have mercy on him: “We look at what they said about that and what they proved in their books; Whatever was in accordance with the truth, we accepted it from them and were pleased with it and thanked them for it, and whatever was not consistent with the truth, we alerted them to it, warned them against it, and excused them. Ibn Rushd explained that looking at the books of the ancients is obligatory according to Sharia law for those who possess innate intelligence, legal justice, and scientific and moral virtue. The second matter is investment, and by it we mean investing the authentic heritage in the service of humanity today, and what can contribute to building human civilization. The third matter is transcendence, and by it we mean bypassing deviant and weak sayings and opinions that do not fit with the reality of people today, so that we transcend them to diligence, innovation, and formulation of sayings. What is new through which people’s interests are achieved in the immediate and future? The fourth matter: consideration, study, and research. It consists of considering – for example – the dispute that occurred in the first century. It must be studied within the framework of scientific research and historical lesson only, and not be allowed to extend to the present and future of Muslims. Rather, it must be completely frozen from a practical standpoint, and its reckoning left to God Almighty, in accordance with His Almighty’s saying: “That is a nation whose You have earned, and you will have what you have earned, and you will not be asked about what they used to do. The Mufti of the Republic stated that the text whose conclusiveness has been proven and its indication of the legal ruling has been proven, there is no room for ijtihad in it, because there is no ijtihad with the text. As for ijtihad, it is in the mechanism of applying the definitive texts on the ground in a way that is proportionate to the ability and ability of the person, while the texts that were proven by a speculative method or whose significance was speculative are the field of ijtihad in understanding before application, and in it there are multiple scholars’ views and opinions in order to achieve facilitation and bring interests, not This understanding is not considered a definitive legal ruling, but rather it is human ijtihad, and therefore describing it as a Shari’a ruling is an exaggeration because the final rulings do not differ or multiply, according to the Almighty’s saying (And if it had been from other than God, they would have found in it much discrepancy), indicating that the nation is the one that bears the responsibility of choosing what suits it from the ijtihad opinions through its constitutional institutions that balance the opinions and choose what is closest to what is right or most beneficial to the people. It may mix more than one opinion, and it has the right to review what it has adopted if circumstances change, and thus the Sharia remains alive and capable of developing in a way that keeps pace with changes and achieves the public interest.
His Eminence moved on to explain the importance of considering the objectives in ijtihad and fatwas, stressing that taking into account the objectives while adapting the fatwa is the basic guarantee for achieving and preserving the interests of the nation, because the objectives represent The highest goals of Sharia law, which direct the movement of legislation and ijtihad towards what benefits people, and what is meant by the objective view is for the jurist to strive to deduce these goals from the texts and work to achieve them in reality, explaining that the goals of Sharia law are divided into necessary, necessary, and improvement, and that preserving the five universals, « Religion, soul, mind, money and offspring. It includes preserving the nation before individuals. Preserving religion means preserving the faith from corruption and deviation. Preserving the soul is protecting lives from damage. Preserving the mind is protecting it from defect and ignorance. Preserving money is preventing its loss and unlawful seizure. As for preserving the lineage, it is preserving the human race from interruption and corruption. All of this represents the major goals around which the rulings of Sharia revolve. His Eminence the Mufti of the Republic indicated that achieving the level of ijtihad Perfection according to the jurist is not achieved except by taking into account the objectives of the Sharia in understanding and application. Imam Al-Subki stated that true diligence is based on the mujtahid’s familiarity with the general rules of the Sharia and his practice of considering its objectives until he realizes the intent of the Sharia, even if the text does not express it. Imam Al-Shatibi explained that the degree of ijtihad is not attained except with a deep understanding of the objectives coupled with the ability to deduce in light of them, and then Ignoring these methodological rules in dealing with heritage led to turmoil in jurisprudence and fatwas. Trends of excessive extremism and permissive leniency emerged, and deviant fatwas were issued by unqualified people. People fell into bewilderment and confusion, and takfiri tendencies arose among extremist groups that targeted Muslims and their institutions. It is one of the most dangerous phenomena that threatens Islamic societies because it sows conflict and division and hinders unity. The Nation
His Eminence noted that one of the most prominent reasons for the spread of the thought of takfir is the wrong understanding of religious texts, whether the Qur’an or the Sunnah, by understanding them in a literal manner that is contrary to their intent, or by interpreting them in a way that is not considered, such as the Almighty’s saying, “And whoever does not judge by what God has revealed, those are the disbelievers,” and the hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him (The adulterer does not commit adultery when he commits adultery while he is a believer), explaining that attachment to the apparent meaning of the texts without understanding Its objectives and consequences lead to forbidden extremism Sheikh Jad Al-Haqq, may God have mercy on him, also pointed out that among the reasons is the reliance on deviant statements that appeared in some heritage books and contradicted the consensus of the nation and what the majority of scholars hold, as the extremists found in them a way to justify their ideas and give them a legal tinge, indicating that ignorance is the common cause between these two paths because the initiative to declare takfir prevails over those who are dominated by ignorance and lack of knowledge. His Eminence also pointed out that the danger of takfir does not It stops at the point of the idea, but goes beyond it to have serious effects affecting religion and society, as it results in the loss of rights, the permissibility of blood and wealth, the disintegration of families, and the ruin of societies. Scholars have alerted to the severity of leniency in it, and the minister’s son said« Rushing to declare takfir leads to great evils that nullify worship and rights and lose the purposes of the Sharia.” Just as the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, warned against applying it without knowledge, saying, “If a man says to his brother, ‘O infidel,’ then one of them has committed it.” Imam Abu Al-Hasan Al-Ash’ari affirmed that he does not make anyone from the people of the Qiblah apostasy because they all point to one deity, even if their expressions differ. It is a moderate, rational approach that combines The nation adheres to the word of monotheism and protects it from division and fanaticism.
His Eminence the Mufti concluded his speech by emphasizing that declaring Muslims to be infidels is an imminent danger that threatens the unity and stability of the nation, and that it is the duty of scholars to confront it with knowledge and wisdom, and to work to establish the approach of moderation and moderation, explaining that haste in declaring infidels opens the doors of temptation and destroys the purposes of Sharia law that came to preserve the religion. And the soul, mind, money and offspring, calling for the necessity of adhering to the tolerant spirit of Islam, which calls for mercy and harmony, not violence and rivalry, asking God Almighty to guide scholars and muftis to do what is good and right, and to make fatwas a path to guidance and a light that dispels the darkness of ignorance and extremism, and to bring the nation together on the word of truth and reconcile the hearts of its children, and spread the values of peace, mercy and justice in the world.
He attended. The lecture was attended by His Eminence Sheikh Ahmed bin Fawaz Ali Fadel, Mufti of Malaysia, His Excellency the Egyptian Ambassador to Malaysia Karim Sadat, His Eminence Professor Dr. Sherif Fodin Muhammad, President of the University of Islamic Sciences, His Excellency Professor Dr. Mishdad Hasballah, Vice President of the University, His Excellency Professor Muhammad Ezz Al-Din, Director of the Islamic Heritage Knowledge Center at the University, in addition to a number of Malaysian religious and scientific leaders. At the conclusion of the meeting, His Eminence the Mufti of the Republic was honored and given the title “Visiting Professor” At the Malaysian Islamic Sciences University, in appreciation of his sincere efforts in spreading moderate thought, promoting civilizational dialogue, and supporting scientific and religious relations between Egypt and Malaysia.
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