Religious Affairs Ministry to create the Academy of Fatwa instead of the Republic Mufti

The Algerian religious affairs minister Mohamed Aissa said there is a work on creating an Academy for Fatwa, comprising representatives of the scientific councils and a group of university professors in different specialities, to decide in the issues of jurisprudence and social cases, Religious Affairs Ministry, Mohamed Issa said in the Forum of Radio.

“I do not share the idea of appointing Mufti of the Republic, but creating the Academy for Fatwa”.

“Algeria is still looking for an international body, raising the dispute that lies between the men of science and jurisprudence, as well as the individual interventions in resolving some of the issues of a religious and social nature. The debate about the Mufti of the Republic, makesthe ideas of Algerians moving towards a consensus scientist and national person to issue the Fatwa, but this personal approach is not shared by the relevant ministry, which is thinking in the institutional approach that requires finding a body that gathers the trustees ofscientific councils in Wilayas, and the expansion of counselling to university professors, as the organization that may termed as acomplex or an academy of Fatwa, should be a charismatic person to be appointed as the Academy Chairman, as his acts and talksshould stem from consultation to ensure the non-deviation, and nationalization of Fatwa and objectivity so as not to be subject tosectarianism”. 

“Ministry of Religious Affairs denied imposing a religious reference. It cannot be imposed neither with force of law nor with administration, as it is a choice and exists in Algeria and was the guiding of religious practice. Important historical events spread to the era of Ukba who opened the Islamic Maghreb, while the Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz sent ten jurists to Morocco, to bring the way of religion practice that is experienced by companions.”