The 26th Session of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy Conference opened today, Sunday, in Doha, Qatar’s capital, under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The conference will last five days, from 6 to 10 Dhul Quida 1446, corresponding to 4-8 May 2025.

The conference began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a welcome speech by H.E. Mr. Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al-Ghanem, Qatari Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, in which he expressed Qatar’s welcome to the participating scholars and experts from the entire Ummah. He also emphasized the importance of Qatar hosting this global scientific event to promote Islamic jurisprudence and thought, and its significance in addressing contemporary issues. Then, H.E. Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, delivered a speech in which he described the role of the Academy’s Council in consolidating collective Ijtihad and jurisprudential interaction with the challenges facing the Ummah.

After that, H.E. Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, Advisor to the Royal Court, Member of the Council of Senior Scholars, Imam-Khatib at the Grand Mosque of Makkah, and President of the Academy, spoke about the importance of the issues on the agenda of the current Session, which require collective Ijtihad.

H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the Academy, delivered a speech in which he emphasized the importance of the topics of the Session as topics that touch reality and have a profound impact on the lives of individuals and society, the most important of which are artificial intelligence, its rulings and regulations, electronic games, its rulings and regulations, the impact of psychological and mental illnesses on legal capacity under Islamic law, and Shari’a governance in Islamic financial institutions. His Excellency also stressed that the 26th Session in Qatar is the largest in terms of the number of research papers, with 187 papers submitted, and the largest in terms of the number of participating female scholars.

It is worth mentioning that the Council of the Academy will discuss the research papers submitted during the span of five days, with the presence of about 230 scholars and experts from more than 60 countries worldwide. During these five days, the Session will discuss several contemporary jurisprudential, intellectual, medical, social, and economic issues of concern to the OIC Member states and Muslim communities abroad, notably:

– Novel Issues in Childcare.

– Guide to Istishab and its Applications in Contemporary Issues and Developments.

– Artificial Intelligence: Rulings, Regulations and Ethics.

– Shari’ah Ruling on the Payment of Loan Increases by a Third Party and the Ruling on Taking Remuneration for Letters of Guarantee and Documentary Credits.

– E-Games: Rulings and Controls.

– Impact of Mental Illnesses on Legal Capacity according to Sharia.

– Sharia Governance in Contemporary Islamic Financial Institutions.

– Stunning Birds and Animals Prior to Slaughter and its Impact on the Legitimacy of Slaughter.

– Feeding Premature Infants with Milk from Known and Unknown Mothers.

– Shari’a Ruling on the Consumption and Marketing of Cultured Meat of Animal Origins, GMFs, and Insects.

The International Islamic Fiqh Council will issue resolutions and recommendations that will help guide decision-makers, leaders, and thinkers, thus strengthening the institutional collective Ijtihad’s role in addressing contemporary issues within a disciplined scientific approach that combines authenticity and innovation.