His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), chaired the fifty-sixth weekly meeting of the directors of the Academy’s departments on Monday, 02 Jumada Al-Ula 1443H corresponding to 06 December 2021G, via Zoom technology from his residence in the United Arab Emirates.

His Excellency began the meeting by welcoming the attendees and thanking them for their efforts in accomplishing their tasks and implementing the activities and programs, as well as everyone’s keenness to advance the Academy. His Excellency then spoke about his participation as a keynote speaker in the Tenth International Conference of the World Zakat Forum, which aims to discuss ways to improve Zakat institutions and Awqaf. His Excellency also informed the meeting about the fifteenth regular meeting of the Council of Muslim Elders, where he discussed, on the sidelines of the meeting, with His Eminence the Grand Imam, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Chairman of the Council, and His Excellency Counselor Mohamed Abdel Salam, Secretary General of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, possible aspects of cooperation between the Council and the Academy, and ways to strengthen it through the exchange of expertise and helping the council prepare a strategic plan similar to the one of the Academy.

His Excellency also asked the participants in the meeting to start preparing well for the 25th session of the Academy to ensure that it is held on time and to ensure its success at all levels. Then His Excellency instructed the concerned departments to expedite preparations for organizing a symposium on “the phenomenon of Ex-communication” and another on “Wills.” He also instructed to organize a consultative symposium between the Academy and the fatwa authorities in Muslim communities in partnership with the World Muslim Communities Council in order to discuss ways to rehabilitate and train Muftis in Muslim communities.

Then the meeting discussed the items of decisions issued by the previous meeting, and several decisions were issued, the most important of which are:

• Communicating and coordinating with Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities to prepare the final version for signing the memorandum of cooperation with the Academy.
• Final handover of the new Academy site from the developing company and training the concerned employees to use it.
• Communicating with the World Muslim Communities Council to obtain the list of muftis in Muslim communities in order to invite them to attend the consultative symposium.