OIC FIQH ACADEMY ADJOURNS DECISION ON VISITING JERUSALEM, AL-AQSA MOSQUE
Kuwait, 7 Jumadil Akhir 1436/27 March 2015 (MINA) – Wrapping up the 22nd session, in Kuwait on Wednesday, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, an affiliate of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), announced adjournment of issuing fatwa on Muslims’ visiting of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque while remaining under Israeli occupation, due to non-consensus of scholars and muftis’ opinions on this controversial issue.
Dr. Hale Abdul Hafeez Dawud, Jordan’s minister of endowment and Islamic holy sites affairs, told the International Islamic News Agency (IINA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, that the Academy has decided to defer a decision on the question of visiting Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa for further study and discussion.
“Clarification of a ruling on visiting Jerusalem and its holy mosque, has generated lengthy debates, most of which focused on weighing the benefits and evils of this visit,” Hale said.
He added: “Some of the opinions that emerged from the discussion favored the pros over the cons, others favored the cons over the pros, while the opponents of the visit held the view that there are no gains to be obtained, and the visit advocates took the view that it has no harms.”
Dawud noted that the multiple viewpoints have eventually prompted the Academy to provide more opportunities for debate and dialogue, and to adjourn considering this issue until next session, or to be reviewed at a seminar to be held especially to that effect.
In earlier statements to IINA, the Jordanian minister stressed that his country, which asked the Islamic Fiqh Academy to incorporate the issue of visiting Jerusalem in the agenda of its current session, was willing to make every effort to facilitate the visit to Al-Aqsa for those who are wishing to visit the Holy City and support the Jerusalemites.
Early in January, OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani, during his visit to the holy city, renewed invitations for Muslims from all over the world to visit Jerusalem, which he named the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2015. He also called for connecting the Umrah season with the pilgrimage to Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Secretary General added that Al-Quds Ash-Shareef faces a heinous attack from the Zionist entity that whose objective is obliterate the landmarks of the city and rob it of its Arab and Islamic identity.
He reminded that visit to Al-Quds and to its blessed mosque to know the holy city and engage with its inhabitants would confirm to the occupation forces and the world the eternal right of the Muslims to the holy place.(T/R05/R03)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
