On the sidelines of the 11th International Conference of Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, held in Cairo, His Eminence Dr. Nazir Mohammed Ayyad, Grand Mufti of Egypt and President of the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, held a series of bilateral meetings with senior muftis and religious leaders from around the world. The meetings form a part of Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta efforts to strengthen international cooperation in the field of fatwa, deepen scholarly partnerships, and promote the exchange of expertise and institutional experiences among religious and fatwa institutions worldwide.

The meetings included Sheikh Nuriddin Khaliqnazar, Grand Mufti of Uzbekistan; His Eminence, Prof. Sheikh Salim Alwan Al-Husayni, Grand Chairman of Darulfatwa Australia; and Sheikh Ildar Alyautdinov, representing the Chairman of the Religious Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation and Chairman of Russia’s Council of Muftis.

The Discussions focused on expanding cooperation in fatwa, scholarly training and capacity-building, and academic research, as well as enhancing the professional and methodological capabilities of muftis, imams, and religious professionals. The meetings also addressed ways to support Islamic institutions serving Muslim communities in Western societies and to develop a balanced and sound religious discourse that upholds Islamic principles while considering the particularities of different social contexts.

The Grand Mufti emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination and cooperation among fatwa institutions worldwide, particularly in light of the rapidly evolving intellectual and social challenges facing contemporary societies. He underscored the importance of exchanging expertise, developing the scholarly and methodological capacities of religious professionals, and building effective institutional partnerships as essential to enhancing the role of fatwa institutions and enabling them to address emerging issues responsibly. Such efforts, he noted, contribute to promoting moderation, coexistence, mutual understanding, and social peace.

The participating muftis and religious leaders, in turn, commended the prominent scholarly and international role of Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta and the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide in the field of serving fatwa. They expressed their commitment to expanding cooperation and coordination with Dar al-Ifta and the General Secretariat, particularly in the areas of scholarly training, capacity-building, and the exchange of expertise, in ways that serve Muslim communities and strengthen balanced and moderate religious discourse across diverse societies.