His Excellency Professor Dr Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary-General of the Academy, received His Excellency Dr Faisal Ibrahim, Acting Minister for Islamic Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, along with his accompanying delegation, on Sunday, 18 Jumada al-Awwal 1447 AH, corresponding to November 9, 2025, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Jeddah, kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
At the outset of the meeting, His Excellency the Secretary-General welcomed the Minister and his delegation, expressing his gratitude for this important visit, which comes within the framework of strengthening cooperation and partnership between the Academy and the Republic of Singapore. He praised Singapore as a pioneering model of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance among different races and religions in peaceful coexitence. He also expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to the Government of Singapore for providing a safe environment, generous care, and full respect for the rights of its Muslim citizens, and he wished that this distinguished and well-established Singaporean model would prevail in other societies to safeguard social security and global peace.
The Secretary-General then presented the delegation with an introduction to the Academy, describing it as the leading global scholarly body and the supreme jurisprudential authority for the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Muslim communities worldwide. He explained that the Academy’s mission is to present Islam accurately and moderately, highlighting its merits, its suitability for all times and places, and its ability to address contemporary life challenges through a methodology of collective ijtihād. This methodology is based on promoting moderation, constructive dialogue, and spreading the values of tolerance, coexistence, and rejection of all forms of violence, extremism, terrorism, hate speech, and contempt for religions, beliefs, and religious symbols.
For his part, His Excellency the Minister expressed his sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for the warm welcome and generous hospitality. He commended the Academy for its vital role in clarifying the noble principles of Islam and promoting moderation and tolerance. He noted that this visit reflects the Republic of Singapore’s keenness to strengthen cooperation and communication with the Academy and to benefit from its scholarly and jurisprudential expertise. He also affirmed his aspiration to deepen the partnership between the two sides, particularly in the fields of fatwa (religious rulings), Islamic finance, education, and the study of contemporary issues and challenges, in ways that will benefit both parties.
The meeting was attended by His Excellency Mr Chandra Kumar, Consul General of the Republic of Singapore in Jeddah; Mr Saif al-Nizar Hamid, Political Affairs Advisor at the Consulate General in Jeddah; and several media representatives accompanying the Minister. Also present were Mr Muhammad al-Munzir Rida al-Shawk, Director of Protocol; Ms Sarah Amjad Bedewi, Director of Family, Women, and Childhood Affairs; Dr Alhagi Manta Drammeh, Head of International Cooperation and External Relations; and Mr Amjad Ibrahim al-Mansi, Head of Protocol.