The International Islamic Fiqh Academy and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has held a fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) symposium in Jeddah, to support halal legislation.
The event featured discussions among food experts, members, and specialists at the academy. Taking part in the discussions were Imam and preacher at the Grand Mosque, member of the Council of Senior Scholars, Advisor at the Royal Court and President of the International Islamic Fiqh Council Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, SFDA CEO Dr. Hisham bin Saad Aljadhey, academy Secretary-General Koutoub Moustapha Sano, and other members and experts from the two institutions.
In his opening speech, bin Humaid stressed that "one of the academy's objectives is to clarify the Sharia ruling on contemporary issues, facilitating the development of laws and regulations aligned with Islamic principles".
He also stressed the importance of responding to the evolving challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah, and urged scholars and experts to conduct thorough studies of contemporary issues guided by the clear teachings of the Quran, the Prophet Mohammed traditions, and the scholarly legacy of past generations.
Aljadhey praised the strong cooperation of the two institutions, noting the importance of keeping pace with advancements in the food industry from a fiqh perspective.
Sano underlined the increasing complexity of modern-day issues and the need for collective ijtihad (juristic judgment on newly surfacing controversial issues of the religion) that involves experts in both Sharia and contemporary sciences.
He said that the academy held the symposium to ensure the delivery of sound and appropriate Sharia rulings on emerging food-related issues.
The symposium is part of the ongoing strategic partnership between the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and SFDA; the two sides held a symposium in June 2022, to address Sharia rulings on various food-related matters.