H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, visited on Monday, 21 Shaba’an 1444, corresponding to 13 March 2023, the Republic of Iraq’s Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were received by the Consul General of Iraq, Mr. Muhammad Samir Al-Naqshbandi, who expressed his delight at this visit and stated that he was personally honored to meet a great Islamic scholar, appreciating the efforts of the Academy to address many religious and intellectual issues of concern to Iraqi society in particular and the Muslim world in general.

For his part, the Secretary General expressed his thanks for the warm welcome, praising the continuous support and attention given by the Republic of Iraq to the Academy since its establishment. His Excellency reviewed the most important resolutions taken at the twenty-fifth session of the Academy, which included a comprehensive statement of Sharia resolutions regarding contemporary calamities and developments, such as the obligation to educate men and women for the sake of the family, society, and the state, prohibition to deprive them of education and learning at any stage, the impermissibility of prayer behind the telephone, radio, and television, the invalidity of prayer in a language other than Arabic, the obligation to care for foundlings and those whose parentage is unknown, the prohibition of homosexuality and sex change in Islam, and other issues that the world is waiting for the Academy to clarify from a Sharia perspective.

His Excellency promised to send a copy of the Academy’s Resolutions and Recommendations to the Permanent Delegation of Iraq.

At the end of the visit, the Consul General informed His Excellency that the Consulate General had received an official invitation from the Republic of Iraq to visit Baghdad as soon as possible in order to discuss with the political leaders and religious figures to support their continuous efforts to preserve the unity, security, and safety of Iraqi society and to spread the noble principles of our true religion related to tolerance and peaceful coexistence between religions and peoples.

The Secretary General of the Academy was accompanied during this visit by Mrs. Sarah Amjad, director of the women and family department of the Academy, Mr. Muhammad al-Idrisi, director of public relations and media, Mr. Nawfal al-Shteiwi, internal auditor, and Mr. Ahmed Al-Jazouli, head of archives and follow-up department.