H.E. Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Chairman of the Bureau of the Academy, chaired the second meeting of the Bureau of the Academy for the year 2024, on Thursday 25 Jumada Al-Akhira 1446, corresponding to 26 December 2024, via video conference. The meeting was attended by H.E. Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, Chairman of the Council of the Academy and Vice Chairman of the Bureau, H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy and Secretary of the Bureau, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Abou Bakr Doukouri, Member of the Academy and Representative of the African Group in the Bureau, H. E. Dr. Ajil Jassim Al-Nashmi, Member of the Academy and Representative of the Arab Group in the Bureau, H.E. Dr. Ahmed Abdulaziz Al-Haddad, Member of the Academy and Representative of the Arab Group in the Bureau, and His Excellency Justice Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Member of the Academy and Representative of the Asian Group in the Bureau.

The meeting was inaugurated by the OIC Secretary General, who welcomed the members of the Bureau to the second meeting of the Bureau for 2024, thanking them for their continuous support to the Academy, expressing his great appreciation to H.E. Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid for the support and guidance he provides to the Academy to achieve the noble goals for which it was established, and praised the Secretary General of the Academy for his outstanding efforts to advance the Academy through the implementation of its programs and activities, stressing that the OIC considers the Academy an essential platform to promote a comprehensive and balanced understanding of Islam and to achieve security and safety.

The President of the Academy welcomed the OIC Secretary General and the Bureau members and thanked them for their participation and continued support to the Academy. He also took the opportunity to express the highest thanks and appreciation to 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, for the great care and patronage they have provided to the Academy since its inception. The President of the Academy also congratulated the Secretary General on his renewal for a second term, praising his achievements in the first term and wishing him success in continuing what he has started. His Excellency also spoke about the most important achievements of the Secretariat General of the Academy during the past months, including the organization of the Medical Fiqh Symposium, in cooperation with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, entitled “Sharia Ruling on Eating and Trading Cultured Meat, Insects and GMF of Animal Origin”. The symposium witnessed active participation and fruitful discussions among scholars and food experts, and its recommendations will be presented at the next meeting of the Council of the Academy. The President of the Academy concluded his speech by thanking His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and his wise government, represented by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, headed by Minister Ghanim bin Shaheen Al-Ghanam, for hosting the 26th session of the Council of the Academy in Doha next May, in sha Allah.

The Secretary General of the Academy expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his Crown Prince and Prime Minister, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister, for all the services provided to the Academy at all levels since its establishment, which enabled it to organize its activities and programs and implement its projects with ease and success. The Secretary General of the Academy thanked the President of the Academy for his guidance and support, stressing that the past achievements were nothing but thanks to Allah, the efforts and support of the President of the Academy, and he prayed that Allah protect him as an asset to Islam and Muslims, and grant him the best rewards on behalf of the Academy. The Secretary General also prayed to Allah to grant success in the preparation of the new session of the Academy to deserve the precious trust placed in his Secretariat General of the Academy, and he prayed to Allah to promote and improve the Academy to achieve what all Muslims aspire from it.

The meeting then discussed the items on its agenda, which included the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of the Bureau. The meeting also reviewed the cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding signed between the Secretariat General of the Academy and religious and scientific institutions in the OIC member states and Muslim communities from Safar 1446 to Jumada Al-Akhira 1446. The meeting also reviewed the ongoing preparations for the 26th session of the Academy, as well as the administrative and financial report and the financial arrears of the Member States for the current year.

At the end of the meeting, the members of the Bureau congratulated the Secretary General of the Academy on his renewal of his term and wished him more successes and achievements similar to or better than those achieved in his first term in the Academy’s service.