Hamdan Bin Zayed receives UAE Council for Fatwa team

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, on Sunday received in Rabat, Morocco, a delegation from the UAE Council for Fatwa headed by His Eminence Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Council, and Dr. Omar Habtoor Al-Darai, Vice Chairman of the Council, along with several distinguished members of the Council and a group of experts and specialists in Islamic studies and Fatwa.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed welcomed Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah and the esteemed scholars, praising the Council’s efforts in promoting the values of tolerance and moderation in line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed was briefed on the key efforts and initiatives being implemented by the Council within the UAE’s fatwa system.

The meeting also reviewed a presentation by Dr. Khalifa Mubarak Al-Dhaheri, Chancellor of Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities, on the “Hamdan Bin Zayed Diploma for Sustainable Humanitarian Work”, which aims to prepare specialised cadres capable of making a tangible humanitarian impact in the fields of giving and development.

The visit coincides with a scientific workshop organised by the UAE Council for Fatwa in cooperation with Morocco’s The Higher Council of Ulema on the regulations and policies governing public and private fatwas. The workshop seeks to strengthen cooperation, build bridges of communication, and exchange expertise in Fatwa and religious affairs between the two brotherly nations.

Several Sheikhs and officials attended the meeting.

Recently, Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, visited Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, Chairman of the UAE Fatwa Council and Head of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace, at his residence in Abu Dhabi.

Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah welcomed H.H. Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, expressing his appreciation for the visit, which reflects the UAE leadership’s approach of maintaining direct communication with members of the community and ensuring their wellbeing.

During the meeting, Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed exchanged cordial conversations with Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah and the attendees.

Sheikh Khaled praised the significant role of Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah in promoting the values of tolerance, fraternity, and coexistence among diverse peoples and cultures, as well as his continued efforts in fostering dialogue and upholding noble humanitarian principles.

Sheikh Khaled was accompanied by Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Office of the Crown Prince.

Earlier this month, The UAE Council for Fatwa participated in the conference titled “Making of the Competent Mufti in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, in Cairo, organised by the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, Egypt.

The Council’s delegation conveyed the greetings of the scholar Shaikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Council, and his wishes for the conference to be successful and achieve effective outcome that strengthen the message of moderate, legitimate fatwas.

He emphasised the conference’s important role in developing the fatwa system, stressing the need for global efforts to achieve civilised institutional ijtihad (independent reasoning) and provide fatwas characterised by moderation and flexibility that support stability, citizenship values, and comprehensive development.

The participating delegation included Dr. Omar Habtoor Al Derei, Vice Chairman of the Council; Dr. Saba Salem Al Kaabi, Acting Secretary-General; Dr. Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri; and Dr. Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Haddad, members of the Council.

The delegation participated in the conference sessions and workshops, which addressed the dimensions of artificial intelligence and its applications in fatwa issuance, as well as ways to align technological developments with legitimate principles and national considerations.

WAM