A Position Statement by Al-Azhar to All Muslims
Al-Azhar never hesitates to fulfill its duty in explaining the religion of Allah and demonstrating the legal rulings to Muslims
The Sharia decisive texts in terms of authenticity and meaning like the verses of inheritance and other verses regulating certain family issues are not open for human interventions or changes
Any baseless idea or suggestion without knowledge opens doors wide for destabilizing Muslim communities
While doing its religious and national duty, Al-Azhar in no way intends to interfere with others’ affairs or policies
Al-Azhar categorically denies any policy intervention to discredit Muslim beliefs and laws
Al-Azhar’s mission to protect Allah's religion is universal and is not limited by geographical boundaries or political affiliations
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Praise be to Allah and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.
Over more than a thousand years, Al-Azhar has been undertaking the religious responsibility for the issues of Arabs and Muslims in order to make religious issues crystal clear for the benefit of all Muslims worldwide. As such, Al-Azhar, while having this duty never hesitates to fulfil its role nor does it spare time or effort in guiding Muslims to the Sharia rulings throughout the Muslim world and giving the right legal judgments in incidences affecting Muslim families and social life.
Given the above, Al-Azhar stress that the legal texts has two categories: First, the texts that are open to juristic reasoning (ijtihad) of scholars, who are well-qualified in the Sharia sciences. Second, the texts that are not open for that process. When the texts are decisive (qatʻi) in terms of authenticity and meaning clarity, like the verses of inheritance and other evident verses regulating certain family issues, there is no room for independent reasoning. Simply, they are undoubtedly fixed rulings based on well-established and evident texts. The difference between the two categories can be recognized only by expert scholars and cannot be accepted from the masses whatever their cultures are.
Such rulings cannot be discussed as an idea or proposal, which is not based on sound knowledge, contradicting the qatʻi rulings and texts. This provokes Muslim masses who diligently follow their religion and paves the way to destabilizing Muslim communities. All should know that the rulings based on qatʻi evidence are logical as unanimously agreed-upon by scholars and wise people.
Ijtihad may take place when it comes to speculative texts in terms of authenticity and/or meaning clarity. This is left to the discretion of mujtahideen, i.e., qualified scholars who can exercise ijtihad and deduce the legal rulings. Those scholars must fulfill the criteria of ijtihad. Examples of speculative rulings include the rulings of financial transactions whose authenticity and/ or meaning clarity are not deceivably set.
Emphasizing these facts, Al-Azhar is fulfilling its religious and national commitment to all Muslims as entrusted over centuries. It shall in no way be understood as interference in someone’s business or some country's policy.
At the same time, Azhar categorically rejects intervention policies that discredit or manipulate with Muslim beliefs and rulings of Sharia, especially the decisive ones. Everyone should know that Al-Azhar mission to protect Allah's religion is universal and is not limited by geographical boundaries or political affiliations.
May Allah save Al-Azhar and keep it the honest and sincere protector of Muslim religion and safety