H.E. Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, issued a decree appointing H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano as Secretary of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, succeeding H.E. Prof. Abdul Salam Al-Abbadi (May Allah have mercy him). Prof. Koutoub Sano begins a new position in his academic and professional career, wishing His Excellency every success in the performance of his duties in the service of Islam and Muslims throughout the world,
This generous confidence came as a confirmation of His Excellency’s great scientific efforts during his membership in the Academy, which began in 2002, and for academic qualifications, administrative and political experience he holds.
The following is a brief summary of his biography:
His Excellency studied at the primary, middle and secondary schools in the cities of Cancan and Conakry in the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, and also obtained the Higher Diploma of the French Language (Diplôme Supérieur de Langue Française) from the Ministry of Education in France.
Having received a scholarship from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to pursue his studies, he studied the sciences of Arabic language, hadith and tafsir under scholars of the Great Mosque in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. He then joined King Saud University in Riyadh, where he graduated in 1989 from the Faculty of Education with a bachelor’s degree in “Jurisprudence and its Fundamentals” with excellence and first class honors, and elected first in that year. In 1992, he obtained the magister degree with a mention of excellence in the “Fundamentals of Jurisprudence”.
Similarly, His Excellency brilliantly received a PhD in Law (subspecialty: Fundamentals of Jurisprudence) with distinction from the Faculty of Law of the International Islamic University of Malaysia in 1996. He also obtained a postgraduate degree in Islamic Finance and Banking from the Centre for Economics at the same University in 1998.
He also obtained a PhD in Islamic Sciences (Islamic Finance) with a very honorable distinction from the Higher Institute of Theology of al-Zaytuna University in Tunis in 2001.
He was awarded a chair at the International Islamic University of Malaysia in 2001 to become the youngest professor in the history of the university, when he was thirty-five years old at the time.
His Excellency held numerous academic and administrative positions, having worked as a university professor for sixteen years, as a trustee of the International Islamic University of Malaysia, founding director of the International Institute for the Unity of the Islamic Nation in Malaysia, and chairman of the Shariah Council of Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions.
His Excellency also held a number of political and diplomatic positions in the Republic of Guinea, where he served as Minister of Religious Affairs, Minister of International Cooperation and African Integration, Minister of Diplomatic Affairs in the Office of the President of the Republic of Guinea and Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the Republic.
His Majesty the Sultan, Ahmed Shah, former King of Malaysia, awarded him the Royal Malaysian Medal known as the “Dato”. His Excellency has also won a number of gold medals and the “Ideal Student” medal at King Saud University in Riyadh for the year 1989.
His Excellency is fluent in Arabic, French, English and some Malay, in addition to Mandinka as a native language. His Excellency has participated in many international scientific, intellectual and political forums, conferences and symposia and has presented many distinguished and outstanding research papers.
His Excellency is the author of more than twenty-five published books and dozens of scientific research articles and has supervised dozens of master and doctoral students.
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Secretary‑General of the Academy Visits the Consulate General of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan His Excellency Professor Dr. Qutb Mustafa Sano, Secretary‑General of the Academy, paid an official visit on 29 Sha‘ban 1447 AH, corresponding to 17 February 2026, to the Consulate General of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Jeddah. His Excellency and his accompanying delegation were received by His Excellency Ambassador Mohammed Salah Sobhi Hameed, Consul General and Permanent Representative of Jordan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, who welcomed him warmly and expressed his pleasure at the visit. He praised the distinguished intellectual efforts undertaken by the Academy under His Excellency’s leadership in addressing numerous religious and intellectual issues of concern to the Islamic world, affirming his personal honor in meeting His Excellency again and Jordan’s keenness to strengthen channels of communication and cooperation with the Academy, especially in areas of mutual interest. For his part, His Excellency expressed his deep gratitude and great appreciation to the Ambassador for the warm reception and generous hospitality. He commended the tremendous support, gracious care, and continuous attention the Academy has received from the leadership and people of Jordan since its establishment. He also conveyed his sincere appreciation for the Ambassador’s recent visit to the Academy, affirming the Academy’s full readiness to do everything that would enhance partnership, cooperation, coordination, and communication between the Academy and Jordanian religious and academic institutions. His Excellency was accompanied by Mr. Mohammed Al‑Mundhir Rida Al‑Shawk, Director of the Office and Protocol; Mr. Mohammed Waleed Al‑Idrisi, Director of Media and Public Relations; Ms. Sarah Amjad Badawi, Director of the Department of Family, Women, Children, and the Elderly; and Mr. Amjad Ibrahim Al‑Mansi, Head of the Protocol Section.
