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| Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta | |
|---|---|
| Name | Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta |
| Native name | اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء |
| Formation | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Leader title | Chairman |
| Leader name | Sheikh Abdulaziz Alashikh |
| Parent organization | Council of Senior Scholars |
Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta is a Saudi Arabian body of senior Islamic scholars responsible for issuing formal religious opinions (fatwas) and conducting scholarly research on Islamic law and related matters. Established in the early 1970s, it operates within the institutional framework of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, and its decisions have influenced legal practice, social policy, and religious education across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the broader Gulf Cooperation Council region, and Muslim communities worldwide.
The committee was created in 1971 following reforms initiated by King Faisal and institutional consolidation during the reigns of King Khalid and King Fahd, reflecting links to earlier Najdi religious authorities such as the Hanbali school and figures like Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab and Ibn Taymiyyah. Its formation paralleled the expansion of state institutions including the Council of Senior Scholars, the Ministry of Education (Saudi Arabia), and the network of Grand Mosque (Mecca) and Prophet's Mosque administrations, situating the committee at the intersection of state and scholarly authority during the post-1960s modernization of the Saudi state. Over subsequent decades the committee's composition and prominence shifted under royal directives from King Abdullah and King Salman, and amid global events such as the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, and the post-9/11 security environment.
The committee is composed of senior muftis and jurists drawn from the Council of Senior Scholars, often including university-trained scholars affiliated with institutions like Umm al-Qura University, King Saud University, and Islamic University of Madinah. Chairs and members have included well-known jurists such as Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Baz, Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymeen, and Saleh Al-Fawzan, each of whom maintained ties to seminaries in Riyadh and scholarly networks spanning Cairo, Damascus, and Beirut. Membership criteria involve scholarly credentials in fiqh and usul al-fiqh and appointments are typically made by royal decree from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Administrative links connect the committee with organs like the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance and advisory bodies such as the Shura Council.
The committee issues fatwas, conducts research on jurisprudential questions, and advises state authorities on matters related to worship, social norms, and penal interpretations under Sharia. Its pronouncements intersect with institutions including the Saudi judiciary, the Office of the Mufti of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and educational bodies overseeing curricula in madrasas and universities. The committee's jurisdictional reach extends to rulings on ritual practice at sites like the Grand Mosque (Mecca) and the Prophet's Mosque and policy advice relevant to regulatory agencies such as the General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments and the Public Prosecution (Saudi Arabia).
The committee employs classical methods rooted in schools such as Hanbali school and principles developed by jurists like Al-Shafi‘i, Abu Hanifa, and Malik ibn Anas, while drawing on texts including the Qur'an, the Hadith, and medieval legal manuals by authors like Ibn Qudamah and Al-Ghazali. Procedurally, queries from ministries, courts, and individuals are examined through collegial deliberation, reference to precedent from jurists such as Ibn Taymiyyah, and attention to royal directives. The process often interfaces with institutions like the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and academic departments in Islamic University of Madinah and Al-Azhar University (as a reference point) for comparative perspectives.
Notable pronouncements have addressed issues from ritual purity at Masjid al-Haram to modern topics like banking and finance where the committee's stances have affected interactions with bodies such as the Islamic Development Bank and commercial banks in Riyadh. Influential fatwas by members have shaped public policy on gender segregation impacting venues like King Saud University and cultural practices across the Gulf Cooperation Council. The committee's guidance has been cited in international debates involving figures and institutions such as Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, and counter-extremism initiatives coordinated with partners including United States entities and regional governments. Its rulings have also intersected with scholarly debates involving Al-Azhar University, Darul Uloom Deoband, and contemporary jurists like Yusuf al-Qaradawi.
The committee has faced criticism from reformist scholars, human rights organizations, and international commentators over positions on corporal punishments, gender rights, and freedom of expression, drawing scrutiny from bodies like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International in the context of cases involving death penalty decisions and public morality enforcement. Debates with intellectuals linked to Cairo and Beirut schools, along with tensions between traditionalists and modernists exemplified by disputes involving Muhammad Abduh-inspired reformists, have generated controversy. Internal critiques have emerged over transparency and responsiveness to contemporary legal challenges, and some rulings prompted diplomatic sensitivities with states such as Turkey and Iran.
Institutionally, the committee operates under royal patronage and coordinates closely with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, the Council of Senior Scholars, and the Kingdom's judiciary, reflecting a model of state-supported religious authority seen also in partnerships with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and scholarly engagement with Al-Azhar University and Gulf ministries of religious affairs. Its relationship with the monarchy involves both advisory roles to royal policy and implementation of state-sanctioned religious norms, while transnational ties reach seminaries in Medina, academic centers in London and New York, and networks of Islamic organizations across Asia and Africa.
Category:Islam in Saudi Arabia