In order to strengthen the relations of cooperation, integration and partnership between the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and the OIC Member States, and in response to the visit of H.E. Mr. Mehmet Metin Eker, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to the OIC, to the headquarters of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, H.E. Prof. Koutoub Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, paid a visit to H.E. Mr. Mehmet Metin Eker on Wednesday morning, 19 Rajab 1442 corresponding to 3 March 2021, at the Headquarters of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Turkey to the OIC in Jeddah.

The Ambassador welcomed His Excellency and thanked him warmly for his visit to the Mission’s headquarters. He expressed his pleasure and gratitude for the efforts made by His Excellency to modernize the Academy and develop its performance in line with the hopes of the OIC Member States.

On his part, His Excellency thanked the Ambassador for the continuous support that the Academy has received from the Turkish authorities since its creation until today. His Excellency also gave a detailed presentation of the most important activities and programmes organized by the Academy in the last few months, the latest being the medical fiqh symposium which concluded with the recommendation of allowing the use of the available vaccines against Covid-19 in accordance with Shariah and called upon the Muslims to comply with the instructions given by the leaders of their countries in this regard. The symposium also recommended that Zakat money be allowed to be spent on vaccines and to finance their distribution to countries that cannot purchase them.

His Excellency informed the Ambassador of the publication of the first strategic plan of the Academy, including a precise formulation of all the activities, programmes and events of the Academy over the next five years, calling on the Ambassador to seek the support of the Turkish authorities to contribute to the funding of this plan through voluntary donations to cover the costs of implementing some of the programmes and activities.

For his part, H.E. the Ambassador welcomed the good news about the strategic plan and promised to provide the necessary support to the Academy and promised to strengthen the cooperation and communication relations between the Academy and Turkish scientific institutions and centres, especially the authorities in charge of religious affairs.

His Excellency was accompanied by Mr. Mohamed Mondher Chouk, Mr. Amjad Al-Mansi and Mrs. Sarah Amjad Hussain.