A panel of veteran Muslim scholars attending the ECFR conference

LONDON, July 11 (IslamOnline.net) - The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) wrapped up its 13th session late Saturday, July 10, with a call to Muslims living in the West to abide by the laws in their respective countries and respects the rights of non-Muslims.

At the conclusion of their annual meeting, held in the London City Hall on July 7-10 at an invitation from London Mayor Ken Livingstone, Muslim scholars made several important recommendations, mostly directed to Muslim communities in the West.

"While abiding by the host country’s laws, Muslims are also asked to form Islamic bodies to organize their personal issues in accordance with Shari`ah," said the ECFR.

Most importantly, the body recommended that Muslims in the West to spare no legal or peaceful efforts to get the country where they live to recognize Islam as a religion and Muslims as a community that should enjoy full rights.

The recommendations also asked Muslims in the West to respect the lives and properties of non-Muslims.

"Muslims in the West should observe all duties and provide a good example for others in words, actions and behaviours," said the ECFR.

It also encouraged Muslims in the West to "adopt positive and innovative attitudes on all levels."

"They should do their utmost to raise the new generations - boys and girls - in a modern Islamic manner through establishing schools, educational and entertainment centres to protect them from deviation.

"Muslims in the west should seriously seek the establishment of financial institutes and firms that conform with Islamic economic rules.

The ECFR's annual meeting was hosted by the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) in London.

It was attended by tens of Muslim scholars from all over the world along with guests, observers and media figures of different nationalities.

"Discussions throughout this session focused on the problems facing Muslim families living in the West in an attempt to find practical and suitable solutions to such problems in complete compliance with Shari`ah and without violating the laws of European countries," ECFR Secretary General Sheikh Hussein Halawa told IslamOnline.net.

He added that participants discussed a number of studies including a research on the Fiqh of Muslim minorities prepared by Dr. Ajeel An-Nashmi, the main characteristics of the Muslim family by Dr. Muhammad Al-Hawwari and family system in Islam by Dr. Ahmed Ali Al-Imam.

Also, numerous questions coming from different European countries were answered by the scholars and muftis during the concluding session.

World Union Of Muslim Scholars

Qaradawi finished the draft of the envisaged world union of Muslim scholars

Meanwhile, prominent scholar Sheikh Yussef Al-Qaradawi has finished the draft of the envisaged world union of Muslim scholars , which is to be launched on Sunday, July 11.

A cohort of Muslim scholars from the four corners of the globe are expected to join the new body.

Tens of them have already arrived in London and many others are still to come.

Sheikh Al-Qaradawi has earlier said the union would be as independent as broader in orientation and scope "grouping scholars of all different sects and serving Muslims worldwide."