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Sheikh Al-Qaradawi stressed that the ECSR should not be restricted only to its members. (IOL picture).
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ISTANBUL — After hosting an important two-day
conference on challenges facing Muslims of Europe, Istanbul is now
playing host to the 16th session of the European Council for Fatwa and
Research (ECFR) on participation in European political life.
"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). (IOL picture)
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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.
"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."
