Stakeholders urge scholars to deepen Sharia knowledge

Stakeholders have urged clerics who are addressed as Muftis to deepen their knowledge of Sharia before stating their positions on Islamic matters, especially in today’s age of technology, noting that several misleading messages have found their way to the social media.   

The stakeholders also called for a more coordinated effort by ensuring that not every cleric can claim to be a mufti like it is done in other climes like Saudi Arabia to avoid misinformation. 
 
Speaking at the event, the Conference Supervisor and Director-General, Daaru Naim Academy for Sharia Science of Nigeria, Sheikh Imran Abdulmajeed Eleha, warned that the emergence of clerics misleading their followers with their Fatwa was a major challenge that must be collectively tackled.

He said: “We saw the need to address the issue around fatwa at this year’s conference, and to also curb misinformation about Sharia. It is also to ensure that Fatwa is critical and it is aligned with fundamental objectives of Sharia.”
 
Undersecretary, Minister for Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia, Dr Awwad bin Sabti Al-Anazi, said Prophet Muhammad emphasised the importance of knowledge, and urged clerics to seek knowledge to avoid passing wrong information to people, adding that in his home country, the government is concerned about Fatwa, and scholars are regulated to avoid misinformation.
 
U.S. Delegation Representative, Dr Bilal ElHallak, on his part, said fatwa should not be based on personal opinions and misinterpretation around it should be tackled as quickly as possible by eminent scholars to reduce the spread. 

Prof. Abdulrazzaq Abdulmajeed Alaro of Islamic Law Department, University of Ilorin said allowing everybody to become a mufti to give a fatwa is one of the reasons for misinformation today. 

Delegates at the conference came from countries around the world, including Saudia Arabia, United States of America, Oman, Algeria, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Republic of Benin, and Burkina Faso.