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| Africa North |
| Algeria to unify fatwas |
| 2013-06-21 |
| [MAGHAREBIA] Algeria is considering creating an official fatwa authority to adopt formal positions on issues that divide Islamic scholars. "This body would be a specialised fiqh authority, like what we see in the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, at al-Azhar or in scientific bodies in the holy land," Religious Affairs Minister Bouabdallah Ghlamallah said. Last Thursday (June 13th), Ghlamallah headed up a meeting to issue a fatwa about the government's decision to exempt from interest small bank loans given to young people. University professors, imams and economic experts attended the meeting, which came in the wake of differences among clerics who supported and opposed the loans. The minister said he hoped to prepare a unified fatwa for young people and those who deal with banks that provide such loans. The ministry's move came after salafist scholars in Algeria issued fiqh opinions that differed over the legitimacy of the decision. Some imams issued fatwas permitting such loans as non riba-based loans, while others opposed them under the pretext that banks engage in riba-based practices. This is in addition to the insurance system used by banks. This issue was just one of many that caused differences between imams and clerics. Another dispute revolved around women taking off their niqabs before having biometric passports issued. At the time, the minister supported the decision, while salafist clerics opposed it. Differences continued over family law and women's right to marry without the presence of a legal guardian. Meanwhile, the religious affairs ministry launched a campaign to restore the legacy of Algerian scholars as a means to combat intolerance, extremism and fatwa chaos. "Reviving the heritage of Algerian scholars will be like a bulwark stopping us from falling in the sedition of extremism and intolerance and will spare society the consumption of wrong fatwas that don't suit our profound Islamic roots and the features of our Maliki School," Glamallah said. "Fatwas by Mashreq scholars and other sects can't solve our problems and may lead us astray," he added. The minister called on Algerians to trust the fatwas of Algerian imams and beware of fatwas coming from scholars and imams abroad. He said that it was in the interest of Algerians to be careful and cautious about fatwas issued overseas because they may be beyond Islamic Sharia and unsuitable for the country's interests. "Some satellite channels broadcast commercial fatwa programmes whose only concern is to promote goods and profitable ads taking advantage of their religious activities and correct Sharia rules," commented Dr Belmehdi Youcef, director of Qur'anic education in religious affairs ministry. He added that "satellite channels can be a constructive mechanism for unifying Muslims, serving their causes and solving their doctrinal problems, but at the same time, they can be destructive tools that fuel sectarianism and confuse religious knowledge". The speaker called for "consolidating fatwa authorities in the country and for improving their scientific levels to fill the vacuum, respond to citizens' concerns and help them avoid resorting to foreign sources. Algerian muftis are aware of new issues and developments in Algeria and are, therefore, qualified to respond to them easily and objectively". For his part, League of Sahel Ulema Secretary-General Youcef Mechri said that failure to understand true Islam was one reason for the emergence of extremism and terrorism in the region. "Islam has nothing to do with extremism and terrorism and anything related to violence," Sheikh Mechri said in a speech at an international seminar held by Sahel countries' civil society in solidarity with the Malian people. "Terrorist groups in the Sahel that claim to be defending Islam depend on the logic of violence and aggression on others," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |