Maldives seeks to hold international fatwa conference

An international conference on fatwas will be held in the Maldives this year, the Fatwa Majlis announced in a press conference on Tuesday, reports local media.

“A lot of work is to be done this year,” said Sheikh Ibrahim Ahmed, vice president of the council, adding that a conference on fatwas will be held.

“We are working to hold the conference in March. We’re working with certain members of fatwa councils from certain Islamic countries to make this happen. We want to know how fatwas need to be given for certain things. We need the instruction for Maldivian religious scholars to get into fatwas,” Ibrahim Ahmed said.

The Fatwa Majlis plans on travel to local islands to create awareness of their fatwas. They are currently working on a website and a magazine, and have made a public hotline available.

The president of the Fatwa Majlis said members of the council will be travelling to other Muslim countries to learn about their fatwa councils.

The Fatwa Majlis, also known as Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs, was established in 2016 and has a mandate to ensure religious unity, raise public awareness on religious issues and conduct forums for religious scholars.

The members of the council, its president and vice president are appointed by the president for a five-year term and function under the Islamic ministry under the Religious Unity Act.