KUALA LUMPUR — The Muslim World League's Islamic Fiqh Council launched its first jurists' forum in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together leading scholars and muftis from across the Islamic world to examine the teaching of Islamic jurisprudence and the formation of contemporary jurists. The forum, titled "Teaching Islamic Jurisprudence and Forming the Jurist: Features and Guidelines," was inaugurated by Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and President of the Association of Muslim Scholars. The event was held under the patronage of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and attended by Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Humaid, Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and President of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as Sheikh Ahmad Fawzi bin Fazil, Mufti of Malaysia's Federal Territories. Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, delivered a keynote address through Sheikh Dr. Fahd Al-Majed, Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars. He stressed that Islamic jurisprudence remains a precise and vital science enriched by centuries of scholarship and expressed hope that the forum would produce studies and recommendations to bring this extensive body of knowledge closer to students. Al-Sheikh also called for an evaluation of how Islamic jurisprudence is taught in universities across the Muslim world, emphasizing the need to graduate jurists capable of addressing contemporary issues and challenges. He praised the Muslim World League for fostering unity and advancing scholarly collaboration in the face of modern challenges. Sheikh Al-Issa underscored that the diversity of Islamic schools of thought has long been a source of scholarly enrichment, reflecting the breadth and flexibility of Shariah. He highlighted the historical contributions of great scholars who strengthened the unity of the Muslim ummah through dialogue, mutual respect, and sincere scholarship. He warned against narrow-minded interpretations that fail to recognize the expansiveness of God's mercy and the tolerance inherent in Islam. In his remarks, Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid stressed that Islamic jurisprudence is not a set of rigid rulings but a living discipline rooted in the Qur'an and Sunnah, evolving with time while preserving its foundational principles. He called for developing jurists who balance deep Shariah knowledge with awareness of contemporary realities, grounded in core sources such as consensus, analogy, and higher objectives of Shariah. Malaysian Mufti Sheikh Fawzi Fazil emphasized the importance of collective ijtihad (juridical reasoning) in addressing new issues emerging from rapid technological and social developments. He noted that modern life presents complex questions absent in previous centuries, requiring methodical approaches to ensure alignment with Shariah and the interests of the Muslim community. The forum concluded with a final statement commending the role of fiqh academies in institutionalizing collective ijtihad and issuing recommendations to refine methods of teaching jurisprudence, shaping contemporary jurists, and addressing pressing legal and ethical challenges. Participants also thanked the Malaysian government for hosting the event and the Muslim World League for its leadership in organizing the gathering, calling for it to become a regular platform in different Muslim countries.
