The Seventh World Fatwa Conference in Egypt focuses on sustainable development

The work of the “Seventh International Conference” of the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta was launched under the umbrella of the General Secretariat of Fatwa Authorities and Authorities in the world, and under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, entitled “The Fatwa and the Sustainable Development Goals”, and will last for two days.
An official statement issued by the conference stated that it aims to “studies sustainable development in light of Egypt’s hosting of the climate summit next November, and the statement of the fatwa’s link in this regard, and how it takes into account the social, environmental and economic dimensions and the proper utilization of the available resources to meet the needs of individuals in light of the current circumstances. The world is facing climate repercussions that represent environmental degradation that must be overcome.”
The conference, in its seventh edition, is witnessing a high-level representation from the United Nations and the World Health Organization, in which ministers, scholars, muftis and specialists from 90 countries around the world will participate.
At the outset of its work, the conference also presented a documentary film explaining that religions have “great purposes and lofty goals, the most important of which are the worship of the One God, self-purification, and architecture of the universe, and that development and urbanization are legitimate demands in Islam, stipulated in the Holy Qur’an, and sustainability is an integral and inseparable part of The concept of development in the Shari’a.
The first speech was delivered by Dr. Shawki Allam, the Mufti of Egypt, Head of the General Secretariat for Fatwas and Institutions in the world. The sessions also witnessed another speech by Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar Gomaa, Minister of Endowments, on behalf of the Prime Minister, Dr. Mustafa Madbouly. Also, Dr. Muhammad Al-Dhawaini, Undersecretary of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, delivered a speech on behalf of Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, along with a speech by Counselor Omar Marwan, Minister of Justice.
The opening session will also witness speeches by Dr. Hanan Balkhi, Assistant to the President of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Professor Dr. Abdullah Al-Maatouq, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Islamic Charitable Organization and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Sheikh Qutb Sano, Secretary-General of the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, and Roland Schats, President Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Sustainability Indicators, along with a speech by Sheikh Husein Kafazovic, Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The activities of the conference will continue after the opening session, where the first day will witness the session of delegations, then the first scientific session.
At the top of the conference agenda is a set of important themes that discuss the role of the fatwa in eradicating poverty and hunger and achieving the well-being of peoples. The role of the fatwa in facing development obstacles and supporting the national economy.
In the same context, the conference will witness the launch of many global initiatives, including: the announcement of an advisory charter to confront climate change, and the launch of the Egyptian landmark for fatwa sciences in fifty volumes.
At the conclusion of the conference, the Imam al-Qarafi Award for Fatwa Excellence was awarded, and this year it was awarded to the Grand Mufti of Singapore, Sheikh Nadir al-Din Muhammad, and the Ifta Foundation in Singapore.