His Excellency Professor Dr Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary-General of the Academy, participated in the events of the 12th Doha Islamic Finance Conference, held on Tuesday, 1 Muharram 1448 AH, corresponding to 16 June 2026, in Doha, under the title: “Islamic Finance in the Age of Agent Systems.” The conference was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and was attended by numerous local and international financial institutions.

At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency conveyed the greetings of the scholars and experts of the Muslim world, expressing deep gratitude and appreciation to the State of Qatar—its leadership and people—for its care for knowledge and scholars, and its support for the Islamic economy, scientific research, and civilizational dialogue. He also extended sincere thanks to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, praising the scientific and developmental renaissance the country has witnessed under his leadership, which has made it a global centre for knowledge and innovation.

He further expressed appreciation to His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and patron of the conference, for his generous support of this scholarly gathering. He also commended the efforts of Bait Al-Mashura Financial Consultations in preparing and organising the event and its contributions to advancing the Islamic finance industry and strengthening scientific research, affirming the distinguished position the conference has come to occupy in the development of the Islamic financial sector.

His Excellency also addressed the rapid transformations the world is witnessing in the field of artificial intelligence, reviewing the evolution of this technology from its theoretical beginnings to advanced generative models, and then to intelligent agent systems capable of analysis, decision-making, and task execution with greater autonomy.

He explained that the emergence of these systems represents a pivotal moment in technological development, requiring careful study of their effects and implications across economic, intellectual, and industrial fields—including the Islamic finance sector. He noted that these technologies now directly or indirectly influence nearly all aspects of modern life.

His Excellency emphasised that one of the Academy’s most important roles is to study these technological developments with rigorous scientific methodology, to understand their nature, capabilities, and challenges before issuing Sharia rulings and perspectives on them—consistent with its mission to clarify Islamic rulings on contemporary issues and emerging matters.

He added: “The Academy, with its elite group of scholars and experts, is capable of providing Sharia-based insights and answers that uphold the higher objectives of Islamic law—especially those related to the management of wealth, such as promoting circulation, preservation, justice, clarity, and stability. Guiding and regulating these systems in accordance with these objectives is the proper path to benefiting from them in serving contemporary societies and economies.”

His Excellency pointed out that the future of Islamic finance in the age of intelligent agent systems should not be viewed as a struggle between humans and machines, but rather as a model of integration between human intelligence and artificial intelligence—where ethical and Sharia responsibility remains in human hands, while modern technologies contribute to enhancing efficiency, accuracy, speed, service quality, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

In conclusion, the Secretary-General expressed his hope that the conference would produce scientific and practical insights and enlightening recommendations that deepen understanding of current technological transformations and support the efforts of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in making appropriate decisions regarding emerging issues related to artificial intelligence and intelligent agent systems—thereby serving the future of the Islamic finance industry and strengthening its adherence to Sharia principles and values.