Authorities responsible for implementing the royal order restricting the issuance of religious edicts (fatwas) in general cases to the Board of Grievances have started taking action. Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Care for Mosques and Their Personnel Program, issued directives to Imams and Khateebs of the mosques to work according to the royal order restricting the issuance of fatwas to members of the Board of Senior Ulema, and to control Friday sermons (khutba). In an urgent memo Aal Al-Sheikh sent to directors of the ministry's branches, he stressed the importance of the royal order and the necessity to abide by it. Imams and Khateebs should stress the importance of the royal order in Friday sermons at the end of this week, the memo said. In another development, Engineer Saleh Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Mughaileeth, undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Information for Television Affairs, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that, as per the royal order, programs with people issuing fatwas will not be broadcast on Saudi TV or Radio unless those who issue them are members of the Board of Senior Ulema. Answering a question by Okaz/Saudi Gazette about measures satellite channels belonging to the ministry would follow, Al-Mughaileeth said: “The ministry has not issued any specific regulatory measures, but it is working according to the royal order. No program violating the order will be broadcast. The shows will reflect our harmony with the Board of Senior Ulema and serve the public interest. This regulatory measure applies to Saudi Radio as well.” Addressing satellite channels that transmit live programs that host religious scholars who are not members of the Board of Senior Ulema, Al-Mughaileeth said, “We are not concerned with what those satellite channels transmit.” Ibrahim Al-Sa'qoub, undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Information for Radio Affairs, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that Saudi Radio would abide by the royal order. He said the ministry has reorganized Ifta programs and restricted participation in them to members of the Board of Senior Ulema. Al-Sa'qoub said the ministry has postponed shows by some sheikhs who are not members of the Board of Senior Ulema “until a mechanism that does not clash with the royal order is laid down.” He pointed out that a special regulatory measure is expected in a matter of days. Al-Sa'qoub denied information published on some websites about stopping Ifta programs. He said officials of Al-Qur'an Kareem Radio have not issued any statement in this regard and confirmed that Saudi broadcasting services respect Ulema and sheikhs. Okaz/Saudi Gazette learned that Saudi Radio is waiting for permission for some sheikhs to participate in Ifta programs that have been stopped until special regulatory measures are issued. Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference announced his support for King Abdullah's order. “This is a new, pioneering step on the way to reform in the Muslim world and it deserves praise and appreciation,” he said. Ihsanoglu described the decision as historic, wise and appropriate and considers it to be a decisive turning point that will limit chaos in the issuance of fatwas, which he said has spread because people who are not specialists have been issuing them. Those actions have harmed Islam and Muslims and distorted the real image of this religion, said Oglu, who stressed that the royal order has confirmed the proper standing for religious scholars and Shariah institutions.
