Cairo: Wrapping up of a two-day conference here, leading Muslim clerics called for moderation in issuing religious edicts (fatwa), in their bid to counter extremist fatwas that permit to perpetrate atrocities. The muftis and clerics from several countries agreed on providing training to Muslim scholars and coordination on issues of Islamic law.
“You do not need to be reminded that leniency in dealing with fatwas that excommunicate Muslims has resulted in “murder and bloodshed,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, head of the Cairo-based Al-Azhar, told the conference. In a closing statement, the clerics called for greater attention to “renewing” the scholarship that goes into issuing fatwas, and to take modern times into account. The statement underscored the need for providing training to clerics in modern sciences and give emphasis on considering social norms when issuing edicts. The clerics in their statement urged the media to host only “legal and authorized muftis” on television programs.
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