H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, received H.E. Dr Omar Bakhit Mohammed Adam, Minister of Religious Affairs and Awqaf of the Republic of Sudan, and his accompanying delegation, at the Academy’s headquarters in Jeddah on Wednesday 24 Jumada Al-Akhira 1446, corresponding to 25 December 2024.

The Secretary General welcomed the Religious Affairs Minister, thanking him for this kind visit, congratulating him for his new duties as Sudan’s Minister of Religious Affairs, wishing him every success and blessings in his duties. He then expressed the Academy’s thanks and recognition to the Republic of Sudan’s continuous support and care for the Academy since its establishment to this day, especially the efforts of the distinguished scholars of Sudan, including H.E. Prof. Ahmed Khaled Babeker, former Secretary General of the Academy, and Sheikh Dr Al-Sadiq Mohammed Al-Amin Al-Dharir, among others. The Secretary General also commended the outstanding contributions of several Sudanese scholars and experts in the last session of the Academy in Jeddah, while wishing to strengthen the relations of cooperation, communication and coordination with the Ministry, scientific institutions and universities, especially encouraging the participation of scientists and experts from Sudan in the Academy’s various seminars and sessions and then provided his guest with a brief overview of the Academy’s vision, mission, objectives, five-year strategic plan, activities, and programs.

As for the events in Sudan, the Secretary General expressed his sadness and regret for what is happening in Sudan considering these painful and unfortunate events, saying: ‘What happened in Sudan is considered in the perspective of Sharia as rebellion, discord and spreading corruption…And what we see are horrible and horrifying images of the effects of killing, destruction and sabotage, and things that make us shudder and make us pray to Allah to stop the bloodshed, be kind to the people, and restore safety and stability to the country.’

The Sudanese Minister expressed his gratitude to the Secretary General for the warm reception and welcome. He also expressed his honour to visit this prestigious institution, which is considered the leading fiqh reference for Muslims worldwide, appreciating the blessed efforts exerted by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in the Muslim world and Muslim communities under the wise and capable leadership of His Excellency, expressing his happiness at the qualitative developments at all levels, especially in terms of strengthening the bonds of cooperation with scientific institutions, especially the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Sudan and implementing the memorandum of cooperation signed between the two academies. He wished His Excellency further progress and development.

The Sudanese Minister concluded the visit by expressing his impressions in the golden book, as follows: ‘Due to the major position of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and its general acceptance in many fields of knowledge and jurisprudence, we look forward to having a clear role in the developments and issues occurring in Sudan, and we found all the welcome and readiness for this, so may Allah reward them”

The meeting was attended by Mr Mohammed Mondher Chouk, Director of Cabinet and Protocols, Dr Abdulfatah Mahmoud Abnaouf, Director of the Planning and International Cooperation, Mr Mohammed Walid Al-Idrisi, Director of Media, Public Relations and IT, and Mr Amjad Mustafa Al-Mansi, Head of the Protocols Division.