The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Tunisians Abroad, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti, made an official visit to the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, 10 Jumada Al-Ula 1446, corresponding to 12 November 2024. The Foreign Minister and his accompanying delegation were welcomed by H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, who warmly welcomed him and the delegation and thanked them for honoring the Academy with this visit following their representation of the President of Tunisia at the recent Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh.

The meeting began with the Secretary General of the Academy giving a presentation of the Academy’s history and mission, which include a constellation of prominent scholars, jurists, and experts of the Ummah who come together to study contemporary issues and developments and to conduct an authentic and practical Ijtihad aimed at providing effective solutions to contemporary life issue. This core idea of a Fiqh Academy (Majma) was historically advocated by the great Tunisian scholar and reformer, Shaykh Muhammad al-Tahir Ibn Ashur in his distinguished book, Maqasid al-Shari’ah al-Islamiya (Objectives of Islamic Law). His disciple, Shaykh Dr. Mohamed Habib Belkhoja, may Allah shower them with His infinite mercy, conveyed his message which was adopted by the Two Holy Mosques’ wise leadership, may Allah reward them with the best rewards for turning this call into a reality by creating the International Islamic Fiqh Academy. Thanks to Allah the Almighty, this scientific institution continues to enjoy the honorable care, great attention, and unparalleled material and moral support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s leadership, government, and people, particularly the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his Crown Prince, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah protect them.

The Secretary General of the Academy seized this moment to praise the Tunisian government and scholars’ intellectual and tangible support for which the Academy will remain grateful, such as the valuable contributions of the late scholar Shaykh Dr. Mohamed Habib Belkhoja and several prominent Tunisian scholars who contributed to its development and goals. His Excellency then concluded by reviewing several of the Academy’s juristic and intellectual achievements at various levels such as clarifying Sharia rulings on issues and questions of interest to Muslims within both OIC Member states and Muslim communities abroad.

The Tunisian Foreign Minister thanked the Secretary General for the warm welcome, and said he was pleased to visit the Academy, which is the leading religious reference for OIC Member states and Muslim communities abroad, and expressed his delight in meeting the Secretary General, saying: “I was honored today to visit H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of this great Islamic institution of knowledge, which Tunisia contributed to its creation through the efforts of Shaykh Dr. Mohamed Habib Belkhoja. I also listened to an overview of the Academy’s activities and programs, which are based on the genuine values of Islam and aim to promote moderation, balance, peace, and coexistence between Islamic peoples and the rest of the world, and I was pleased to learn about the long-standing relations between the Academy and Tunisia, looking forward for ways to develop and strengthen them even more.”

The meeting was attended by H.E. Mr. Hicham Fourati, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia in Riyadh, H.E. Mr. Habib Ayyad, Tunisian Consul General in Jeddah, Ms. Fatima Ben Othman, Deputy Delegate of Tunisia to the OIC, Mr. Moez Al-Riyahi, Director of Finance, Investment and Projects at the Academy, Mr. Mohamed Walid Al-Idrissi, Director of Media and Public Relations, Ms. Sarah bint Amjad Hussein Bedewi, Director of Family Affairs, Women, Childhood and Elderly, Mr. Nofal Al-Shtewi, Internal Auditor, and Mr. Amjad Ibrahim Mansi, Head of Protocols.