"Europe has become the homeland for Muslims who live therein after it had been regarded as their second home," Faisal Mawlawi, ECFR Deputy Chairman, told the opening session late Monday, July 3.
"That's why they need a genuine sort of fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) to regulate their lives in a stable and permanent manner."
Mawlawi said the Dublin-based ECFR, which aims to serve Muslims living in the West and facilitate their positive integration into society while preserving their Islamic identity, has passed the stage of issuing fatwas based on the necessity or the temporary needs of those people.
"ECFR started to look for a genuine sort of fiqh that suits them and applies to their special cases and circumstances."
The meeting, themed "The Political Fiqh for the Muslim Minorities in Europe", brings together a galaxy of prominent and eminent Muslim scholars from different European countries.
Inaugurating the session, Deputy Head of Istanbul City Council Fazli Kilic thanked the ECFR for choosing Turkey to host its meeting for the second consecutive year.
The ECFR meets twice a year in Europe, with one session always held in its permanent headquarters in Dublin.
Political Participation
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"Politics play a very important role in the life of all human beings today be they Muslims or non-Muslims," said Al-Quradaghi (C). . |
ECFR Chairman Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi stressed that the council should not be restricted only to its own members.
"There are numerous experts and scholars from outside the realm of the council whose expertise should be enlisted and made use of."
On the focus of this year's session, Sheikh Husain Halawa, ECFR Secretary General, said it has been decided to focus on finding the legislative grounds for the political fiqh for the Muslim minorities in which many focal items would be extensively dealt.
Of the issues to be addressed are politics and religion, political participation of Muslims in Europe and shura (mutual consultation) and democracy.
"We will do our best to come up with something concrete and tangible that may urge Muslims living in majority non-Muslim countries to take part and participate in the political life of their respective societies," Halawa told IslamOnline.net.
He said the scholars will seek to clarify the Shari`ah-based regulations that should be observed upon this political participation.
Dr. Ali Muhyiddin Al-Quradaghi, a member of ECFR, agreed on the importance of this theme to the Muslims of Europe.
"Dedicating a complete session for discussing the political issues of Muslims in Europe gives an opportunity for the issue to extensively discussed and dealt with," he told IOL.
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Sheikh Al-Qaradawi stressed that the ECSR should not be restricted only to its members. |
"Politics play a very important role in the life of all human beings today be they Muslims or non-Muslims.
"We hope that we can achieve something here concerning establishing a sort of fiqh that helps Muslims in Europe lead their lives appropriately and rightly."
Güncelleme Tarihi: 20 Eylül 2018, 18:16
