The International Islamic Fiqh Academy, in cooperation with the Prolacta Company, organized a medical fiqh symposium on “Breastfeeding Premature Infants with Milk from Known and Unknown Mothers”, on Monday 9 Dhul Qi’dah 1444, corresponding to May 29, 2023, in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The symposium opened with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, and a documentary film on the Academy was shown.

H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, delivered an opening speech in which he welcomed the honorable guests, scholars and experts and thanked them for accepting the invitation of the Academy to participate in this symposium, noting in this regard that “the prevalence of the generality of calamities in the era of overlapping issues and developments, has made it necessary, for all those who wish to practice ijtihad on current calamities and developments of a general nature, to return to institutions of collective ijtihad in which well-established Shari’ah scholars cooperate with eminent scientists in different fields, in order to guarantee secure access to Shari’ah judgments appropriate to these issues and developments. Consequently, it is also necessary to know and benefit from the scientific findings and practical experiences reached by specialists in the human and natural sciences in order to formulate the appropriate legal rulings for these calamities and developments”.

His Excellency stated that this symposium is being held today “in accordance with the desired methodological responsibility entrusted to it at the time of its foundation, and in accordance with the duty to clarify for people religious and worldly matters that may be confusing to them, and as a merit of the trust placed in it by the heads of states. This symposium aims to clarify the appropriate resolution on a question well related to the Sharia objectives of self-preservation and the preservation of offspring. This is the question of feeding so-called premature and premature babies with milk from known and unknown mothers. Therefore, the Academy sincerely hopes that the participants will contribute to developing those modern products that contemporary pharmaceutical companies and on top of the list is Prolacta , have produced with meticulous consideration, sober aim and solid direction, enabling the world to benefit from today’s discoveries and innovations.”

His Excellency concluded his speech by expressing his deep thanks and appreciation to H.E. Mr. Hussain Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the OIC, for his continuous support to the Academy, as well as to H.E. Sheikh Dr. Salih bin Humaid, Imam-Khatib of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, and President of the Academy, for his great concern for the advancement of the Academy.” His Excellency also expressed the Academy’s thanks to Prolacta for the fruitful cooperation and appreciated support of this symposium.

In addition, His Excellency expressed, on his own behalf and on behalf of the members, experts and staff of the Academy, the warmest gratitude and highest praise to the host country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as its ruler and people, for its continuous support and ongoing care, asking the honorable Lord to perpetuate its wise rulers and people, the blessing of security, safety, happiness, prosperity and stability, and to reward them on our behalf and on behalf of the Ummah in all parts of the world.

For his part, H.E. Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, President of the Academy , President of the Academy, Advisor to the Saudi Royal Court, Member of the Council of Great Scholars, Imam-Khatib of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, in his opening speech renewed his welcome to the participants, appreciating their presence, and emphasized that the holding of this symposium is “in fulfillment of the responsibility entrusted to it, which is to clarify the legal provisions on calamities and developments, by consulting a group of eminent scholars from the Ummah, as well as people of expertise and knowledge in various fields, particularly the medical, economic and social fields, in order to achieve intellectual convergence and scientific integration between jurists and specialists.

His Excellency stated that this symposium “is organized to respond to the reasons for issuing fatwas and expressing a legal opinion on an ancient, recurrent and important issue that has been presented to the Secretariat General with the aim of studying it with Ijtihad in order to provide effective practical solutions that respect Sharia rules, benefit from modern technologies and keep pace with changes and evolutions. One such issue is that of breastfeeding premature babies born before the pregnancy reaches its normal stage, with milk from known or unknown mothers. His Excellency stressed that “Islamic jurisprudence includes a comprehensive statement of legal rulings and controls related to prohibited breastfeeding, as well as a methodology for explaining legal rulings in calamities and developments”. He therefore called on participants, both men and women, to present a clear vision of this recurring issue, in order to help jurists complete the relevant legal provisions.

His Excellency concluded his speech by expressing his thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, and his trustworthy Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah protect them, as well as to the Saudi government and people, for the support, care and facilities that the Academy has enjoyed since its inception until today.

After his speech, the four sessions of the symposium took place, and started with the presentation of medical research by doctors, then the presentation of Prolacta company’s breast milk product, followed by the presentation of Fiqh juristic research summarized by Dr. Mohamed Mustafa Shoaib, the Supervisor of the Observatory of Fatwa and Reviews at the Academy, and then the last session focused on discussions and comments on the research submitted to the symposium.

H.E. Prof. Koutoub Sano, who pointed out that the Secretariat General would present the proposed recommendations to the participants, seeking their opinions before adopting them and presenting them to the Academy Council for approval.