On the morning of Sunday 29 Shaaban 1442, corresponding to 11 April 2021, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of held via video conference the first consultative symposium entitled “Towards a scientific partnership between the International Academy Islamic Fiqh and the Secretariats General of Awqaf in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries”.

The symposium started with the presentation of a short documentary film about the Academy, starting with its establishment in 1981, passing through several sessions and symposia, and ending with the establishment of the Academy’s Waqf Fund about four years ago to become its main permanent financial resource. Then, H.E. Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, Advisor to the Royal Court, Member of the Council of Senior Scholars, Imam Khatib at the Grand Mosque of Makkah, and President of the Academy, delivered the opening speech thanking the participants for attending the symposium, explaining that its ultimate objective is to express the Academy’s willingness to strengthen the scientific partnership with the Awqaf Secretariats General and Directorates in the OIC Member States in general and in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in particular, considering the Academy’s outstanding scientific achievements since its establishment, especially in issuing resolutions and recommendations that contributed to the advancement of the Waqf institutions.

His Excellency pointed out that the Academy’s resolutions and recommendations related to Awqaf have been and still are appreciated, praised, and widely accepted, especially in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries; therefore, there is an urgent need to follow up the scientific efforts to guide and advise in Awqaf related issues and developments to ensure the sustainability of this Islamic social financing in growth and development. He also pointed out that for the Academy to fulfill its Islamic duty, there is a need to organize many conferences and symposiums to prepare a set of research, studies, and a database for endowments. All this requires financial capacity and stable resources, which prompted the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Muslim countries, during the forty-fourth session of the Ministerial Conference in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to establish the Academy’s Waqf Fund to receive endowments in cash and in kind, supervise the management of the Waqf Fund and invest them for the benefit of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy. His Excellency informed the participants that this Fund aims to raise a financial ceiling of two hundred and fifty (250) million US dollars from cash and in-kind donations from countries, institutions, and individuals.

In order to achieve this great aspiration, the Academy calls upon the Awqaf Secretariats General and Directorates of the GCC countries to support this Fund through donations and to encourage the wealthy and benefactors of their countries to donate to it in order to enable the Academy to fulfill its legal duty of clarifying the provisions of the Shariah on issues of concern to Muslims.

H.E. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, delivered the keynote address of the symposium, praising the outline given by the President of the Academy and reminding that the institution of Waqf has today, thanks to Allah, become a matter of pride and inspiration for the Ummah because of the distinguished position it occupies among the instruments of Islamic social finance. Moreover, Waqf has become the subject of studies in universities and scientific centers in recognition of its leading role in combating unemployment and reducing social disparities and diversifying the sources of philanthropy and charity. His Excellency said that in view of the calamities and developments taking place within Awqaf, it is necessary to have a strong scientific support to face these calamities and guide the developments in order to preserve the development and progress of Waqf.

On his part, H.E. Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, clarified the consequences and effects of the Corona pandemic on the world economy, indicating that the world was not prepared for a pandemic of this magnitude, nor did anyone expect its challenges and effects on all aspects of economic life.

His Excellency then reviewed the achievements of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group in the non-profit sector, particularly the Awqaf, in providing relief, scholarships and health care and in continuously contributing to construction and infrastructure development programs in IDB member states. His Excellency also emphasized IDB’s commitment to manage and invest the funds of the Academy’s Waqf Fund and provide the necessary support for its development.

H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mutlaq, Advisor to the Royal Court, Member of the Council of Senior Scholars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Council member of the Academy’s Waqf Fund, stressed that the success of the Islamic Ummah requires cooperation and convergence between the scientific community on the one hand and the wealthy on the other, and that there is an urgent need to plan and invest the available resources with more cooperation. Therefore, the Academy urgently needs to provide funds and stable resources to play its role in the development of resolutions, studies, and scientific, legal and jurisprudential research that the Awqaf general secretariats need in their activities.

H.E. Dr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Haddad, Grand Mufti of the Emirate of Dubai, and Council member of the Academy’s Waqf Fund explained that the Academy is an important and beneficial scientific reference, so it is appropriate to sponsor it through endowments so that it becomes rich in itself, urging the Islamic Development Bank to make the management of the Waqf Fund free of charge. H.E. Dr. Hamad Al-Shaibani, Director of the Department of Awqaf and Charitable Activities of the Emirate of Dubai, submitted queries and clarifications on some administrative and procedural issues which were answered. As for H.E. Mr. Muhammad Saeed Al Niyadi, Director General of Awqaf in the UAE, he promised to strengthen cooperation with the Academy in all areas of common interest.

On their part, H.E. Dr. Ziyad Al-Fawaz spoke on behalf of H.E. the Governor of the General Authority of Awqaf in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, expressing the authority’s willingness to support the Waqf Fund. H.E. Prof. Yousef Al-Shubaily, member of the Academy’s Waqf Fund Board reiterated the call to support the Fund and to strengthen the partnership between the Academy and Waqf institutions.

H.E. Dr. Yousef Al-Khalawi, member of the Waqf Fund Council, explained the importance of supporting endowments for scientific research and institutions operating in this field, in addition to the International Islamic Fiqh Academy. Finally, Prof. Muhammad Abdullah Mabrouk Al-Najjar, member of the fund’s board, urged the generous Awqaf secretariats and directorates to provide all the necessary support and care to the Academy’s Waqf fund, as it is of great importance to enable the Academy to carry out its mission.

At the end of the seminar, H.E. Prof. Koutoub Sano presented the main points of the draft declaration and recommendations of the symposium, promising the participants to send them the draft as soon as possible to express their views on its publication. On behalf of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, His Excellency congratulated the participants on the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan, asking Almighty Allah to grant success to all for their fasting and patience.