His Excellency, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaymeen, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, held a reception for His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, and recalled the legacy of the late Secretary General of the Academy, Prof. Abdul Salam Dawood Al-Abbadi, may Allah have mercy on him, on Thursday 21 Safar 1442, corresponding to 08 October 2020, at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah.

His Excellency, Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid, President of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and Advisor to the Saudi Royal Court, delivered a welcome address to Their Excellencies and attendants. His Excellency also expressed his immense happiness for the appointment of His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Sano as Secretary General of the Academy and for honoring His Excellency Prof. Abdul Salam Al-Abbadi, the late Secretary of the Academy – may Allah have mercy on him.

In his welcome address, His Excellency highlighted the role of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and what the presidents, administrators, members, experts and researchers of the Academy do through dialogues, deliberations, research topics, resolutions, recommendations and statements that aim at consolidating supreme values and moderation.

His Excellency celebrated the son and active member of the Academy, Prof. Koutoub Sano, who is known for his influence ranging from the far west of Africa to the far east of Asia, and for his intellectual efforts in the fight against extremist ideologies and terrorism, and in the promotion of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, through his books, dialogues and dissertations.

His Excellency Dr. Yousef Al-Othaymeen also delivered a welcome address to Their Excellencies Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Humaid and Prof. Koutoub Sano. During his address, His Excellency paid tribute to Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Abbadi – May Allah have mercy on him, highly appreciating his achievements, and the excellent services he rendered to the Academy in particular and to the Ummah in general. His Excellency also mentioned that the qualities His Excellency Prof. Koutoub holds are distinguished by his vast knowledge, understanding of jurisprudence, awareness of reality, the problems of the Ummah and duties towards it.

His Excellency expressed his hope that Prof. Koutoub Sano would continue the work of elevating the Academy to the highest levels, taking into account the interest and support of the OIC Council Member States, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the attention of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince to all that could advance the Organization and its organs, for the flourishing and prosperity of mankind.

His Excellency also expressed his thanks and respect to His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Humaid, for the interest and support he gives to the Academy in order to perpetuate its role as a jurisprudential reference for the Muslim world, Muslim societies and other societies in the world.

Afterwards, the Secretary General of the Academy, delivered a speech in which he recalled the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in serving the Academy and generous services to the Republic of Guinea and other Muslim countries, as well as the special position of the African Group within the Organization. His Excellency also recalled the stages of the foundation of the Academy (1401-1981) during the era of His Majesty King Khalid, may Allah have mercy on him, bringing together scholars from different parts of the Muslim world to study the problems of contemporary life through original and effective Ijtihad with the aim of providing solutions from the Islamic heritage and open to the developments of Islamic thought.

His Excellency praised the generous custodianship, attention and honorable position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the high status it has always accorded to the Academy in particular, and the OIC in general, under the sublime patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz – may Allah have mercy on him, who announced in Makkah Al-Mukarramah the foundation of the Academy in 1405, corresponding to 1984.

His Excellency asked Allah the Almighty to bless the life of the President of the Academy and to benefit the Ummah through his knowledge, jurisprudence and virtues; to bestow his mercy on the Presidents of the Academy who perished for the promotion of the Academy such as H.E. Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd, H.E. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Habib Khouja, and H.E. Prof. Abdul Salam Al Abbadi, may Allah have mercy on them.

Finally, Their Excellencies Dr. Al-Othaymeen and Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid presented commemorative gifts to Dr. Koutoub Sano and the son of Prof. Abdul Al-Salam Al-Abbadi, in addition to a commemorative shield offered by the Academy to the Secretary-General of the Organization.

-Full Arabic Text here.