IIFA mourns the death of a member of the Academy, His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Othman Batikh, the Mufti of Tunisia
26 October، 2022

May God have mercy on you, our Beloved Mufti of Tunisia.

{Every soul will taste death, then to Us you will all be returned} (Al-Ankabut: 57).

{who, when faced with a disaster, say, surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return} (Al-Baqarah: 156).

Indeed, a few are the firm scholars who dare to reveal their innovative ideas and creative judgments on issues and topics that the public considers prohibited from all innovation and prohibited from all ijtihad.

Yes, a few of those scholars who do not pay attention to the arbitrary accusations that affect them in their intentions and loyalty as long as they are sincere in their judgments and opinions to their one God.

Indeed, a Few are also those scholars who contemplate with infinite depth and accuracy the meanings of those blessed texts from the Noble Qur’an and the great prophetic guidance, and they seek refuge in the intentions scattered within them, and they utter the abundant sayings of past ancestors about them, in order to find effective solutions to the calamities and developments of the age.

Yes, a few are the scholars whom God Almighty guides to combine the reporting of God’s judgment as obligatory at one time, and not as obligatory at other times.

We believe that our deceased scholar, the late Sheikh Dr. Othman Batikh, who passed away on the morning of Tuesday 29 of Rabi’ al-Awwal 1444H, was rightfully one of those contemporary scholars whom we have mentioned some of their rare exploits and characteristics. He was, may God have mercy on him, a pinnacle of humility, an example of patience and unhurriedness, an example of dignity and calmness. Yes, he was a little talkative, thoughtful, sober in analysis, sober in criticism, deep in contemplation, and right in vision. His precise interventions and profound comments during the sessions of the Academy were welcomed and appreciated by everyone, as he combined in his analyzes the accuracy of the jurist and the wisdom of the Faqih who is also a jurist. His successful analyzes of the issues were refined by those years he spent assuming the judiciary in the Tunisian courts. In addition, his realistic Ijtihad regarding the crises all those years were rightful thanks to the years he spent as the Grand Mufti of Tunisia, contemplating and meditating on the appropriate and correct solutions to those crises.

The departure of this venerable scholar is a moment of calamity, and a great event. The International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), the presidency, the secretariat, members and experts take advantage of this sad occasion to offer their sincere condolences to the honorable Tunisian people, leadership and people, and to the family of the deceased, his relatives and His admirers. We raise the hands of humility and supplication to the Noble Lord for our sheikh and our teacher to be covered with the vastness of his mercy, his great forgiveness, his great pardon, and that he will gather him on the Day of Judgment with the prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs, the righteous, and those who are good companions. We also pray to God Almighty to inspire his family and relatives patience, solace and contentment with what He has decreed.

Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return.

On behalf of everyone

Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano

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