In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our master Muhammad, the seal of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

Resolution No. 221(5/23)

on

Intellectual and Operational Procedures to Confront Modern-Day Fanaticism, Extremism, and Terrorism in different Forms and Areas

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, held in its twenty-third Session in al-Madinah al-Munawarah on 19-23 Safar 1440, corresponding to 28 October-01 November 2018.

Having reviewed the research papers submitted to the Academy on Intellectual and Operational Procedures to Confront Present-Day Fanaticism, Extremism, and Terrorism with its different Forms and Areas.

Having listened to the extensive discussions,

Resolves the following

First, all forms of extremism are prohibited in the Noble Quran and Prophetic Sunnah. Its prohibition worsens when extremism leads its followers to assault human beings, dignities, properties, intellects, and religions.

Second, Recommendations

First, Developing the content and style of the religious discourse at Mosques by connecting it to social events and the living reality.

Second: Elevating the position of the Imam (Mosque leader), Mu’adhin (caller to prayers), and all Mosques employees by improving their living standards and professional level through qualification training and programs in the field of religious guidance and supervision.

-Third: Establishing Quran Academies in every country, supervised by a distinguished group of experts in Quranic sciences, and provide these centres with the latest educational means to fight extremist ideologies.

-Fourth: Recruiting competent Muftis who fulfil the conditions for issuing fatawa (legal verdicts), and designate them in different cities and regions in their countries. Also, calling governments to rely on collective Ifta in general and contemporary issues; to revive the jurisprudence of collective Ijtihad, and to introduce laws banning incompetent individuals addressing fatwas, and to implement sanctions against them.

-Fifth: Modernizing and developing educational methodologies in educational institutions to open it toward the respect of human rights and to renouncing violence, extremism, terrorism, and atheism, and to recognize diversity and divergence.

-Sixth: Designing educational programs based on the creed of the Ummah and its principles, through combining originality and modernity, and review the misconceptions about Islam which they contain, and work on their correction.

-Seventh: Urging media corporations to adopt a discourse based on the medium path and moderation in the diffusion of its programs, and to rely on facts, and to distance itself from rumours.

-Eighth: Working on clarifying misconceptions about Shariah law such as jihad, caliphate, loyalty and disavowal, and other topics used to manipulate youth to indulge in disputes.

-Ninth: Introducing educational programs and subjects at schools and universities focusing on renouncing violence, criminality, and extremism, and on reinforcing awareness on the impermissibility of assaulting human beings, properties, and dignities.

-Tenth: Launching comprehensive and diverse cultural community projects under the supervision of relevant public institutions aiming to correct negative views about Islam and its teachings; and to implement Shariah principles neglected by the general public, preachers, and intellectuals.

-Eleventh: Introducing an educational policy based on reinforcing the principles of tolerance, citizenship, critical thinking, and respecting the opinion of others.

-Twelfth: Calling countries and communities to draw from successful experiences in countering extremism and terrorism.

-Thirteen: Opening dialogue prospects with partisans of extremist ideologies to refute their ambiguities and to bring them back to the right path, to moderate social life, and coexistence with the society and regimes in order to achieve social stability and prosperity.

Allah Knows Best