His Excellency Dr. Bisher Al Khasawneh, Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, received His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), on Monday, 2 Dhul Hijjah 1442 corresponding to July 12, 2021, at the Prime Minister’s Office in the capital Amman.

His Excellency the Prime Minister began his speech by welcoming His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Sano and congratulating him on his appointment as Secretary General of the Academy, stressing his confidence that His Excellency very much deserves this appointment, based on what he read about him in his CV. His Excellency the Prime Minister also expressed the importance of concerted efforts of all religious institutions in the Muslim World to clarify the true image of Islam as a religion of love and tolerance, as well as the need to confront the campaigns against Islam, and the accusations that are attached to it that have nothing to do with its true essence. He praised on this occasion the appreciated scientific efforts carried out by the Academy in this field, in addition to the important role played by it to unite the Muslim Ummah and unify its voice.

For his part, His Excellency the Secretary General expressed to His Excellency the Prime Minister his great thanks and great appreciation for granting him and the accompanying delegation the opportunity to meet with him despite his busy schedule, and conveyed to him the greetings of His Excellency the President of the Academy, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, and he also expressed the Academy’s thanks and gratitude to the government and people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their continuous support and great support for the Academy since its establishment.

Then, the Secretary General assured the Prime Minister of the Academy’s constant and unwavering eagerness to spread the culture of moderation, the rejection of fanaticism, and combating extremism and terrorism by promoting tolerance, openness, coexistence, fruitful cooperation and the desired integration among the Ummah’s scholars, noting in this regard that the Academy was able during the past four decades to issue 238 scientific resolutions regarding the various issues of the era, its calamities, and its developments.

His Excellency also made it clear that his visit to the Kingdom comes within the framework of the Academy’s relentless endeavor to deepen cooperation, coordination, communication and partnership with the leading scientific institutions concerned with managing religious affairs in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and in order to benefit from the expertise and experiences of the most eminent academic figures in these institutions, noting the Academy’s full readiness to organizing specialized seminars and holding workshops with Jordanian scientific institutions and centers on all topics and current issues that represent a priority for the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). On this occasion, His Excellency referred to the specialized symposium held by the Academy recently to clarify the Islamic ruling on taking vaccines against Covid, where the Academy declared at the end of that symposium the legality of taking vaccinations according to Shariah law, and the legality of obligating the population to take it if the ruler decrees it.

His Excellency concluded his speech by praying for the soul of the late Prof. Abdul Salam Al-Abadi and commending the great services he provided to the Academy over the years both in his capacity as a member of the Council and as Secretary General.

Then he presented to His Excellency the Prime Minister a copy of the fourth edition of the book of resolutions and recommendations and some other publications issued by the Academy.

The meeting was attended by His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Ahmad Al-Khalaileh, Minister of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Mrs. Sarah Amjad Hussein, Director of Family and Women’s Affairs Department at the Academy, and Mr. Amjad Mustafa Al-Mansi, Head of Protocol Section at the Cabinet and Protocol Affairs Department at the Academy.