Doha: The 26th session of the International Fiqh Academy Conference continued for the third consecutive day, discussing a range of contemporary Islamic fiqh issues affecting Muslim communities.
According to Qatar News Agency, the fifth scientific session, held on Tuesday, addressed the topic of electronic games, where participants examined the financial aspects of these games, their widespread global reach, as well as their benefits and harms. Special attention was given to the psychological, social, behavioral, and financial risks they pose, particularly to those addicted to them. The researchers analyzed these issues based on Islamic fiqh principles, like the principle of seeking benefits and avoiding harms and the permissibility of benefits and the prohibition of harms.
In the sixth session, focus was on the impact of psychological disorders on legal capacity. Participants discussed the subtle differences between the concepts of mental illness and psychological disorder, referencing the latest scientific studies. They explained that psychological disorders are clusters of related symptoms with clinical significance, affecting thinking, mood, or behavior, and negatively impacting an individual's social and professional life. The session referred to the definition of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and relied on the objectives of Islamic law in safeguarding the mind and soul.
In the seventh session, the conference discussed the topic of Shariah governance in Islamic financial institutions, emphasizing the importance of effective regulatory structures to ensure that these institutions comply with Shariah principles. The goal is to integrate financial performance with Shariah compliance and protect the objectives of Islamic law in economic transactions.
Participants highlighted the need for unified Shariah references across Islamic financial institutions, viewing this as both a religious and professional necessity that would ensure discipline, confidence, and consistency in fatwas and financial applications. They also warned of the dangers of continuing disparities among institutions in applying Shariah rulings, leading to market confusion and conflicting fatwas.
Participants called for adherence to the resolutions issued by authorized scientific bodies, particularly the International Fiqh Academy and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). They also pointed out the challenges faced by Shariah boards in financial institutions, including attempts to influence their decisions and impose administrative trends that contradict Shariah rulings. This necessitates reinforcing the independence of these boards and enabling them to perform their roles without pressure or restrictions.
The conference also addressed other contemporary fiqh issues, including the permissibility of stunning birds and animals before slaughter and its impact on the legitimacy of the slaughter, the ruling on breastfeeding premature infants with milk from known or unknown mothers, and Shariah guidelines for producing and marketing lab-grown meats and genetically modified foods of animal origin, including products derived from insects.
On the fourth day of the conference, drafting committees will convene to prepare the final versions of the Academy's decisions and recommendations, which will be presented to the council during its closing session, scheduled for Thursday.