THEAMMANMESSAGE

the royal aal al-bayt institute for islamic thought2009 jordan

THEAMMANMESSAGE

the royal aal al-bayt institute for islamic thought2009 jordan

the royal aal al-bayt institute for islamic thought

isbn 978-9957-428-30-3

CONTENTS

Introduction v

TheAmman Message 1

TheThree Points of theAmman Message 16

Grand List of Signatories 23

FrequentlyAsked Questions 83

INTRODUCTION

TheAmman Message started as a detailed statementreleased the eve of the 27th of Ramadan 1425 ah /9th November 2004 ce by H.M. King Abdullah II binAl-Hussein inAmman, Jordan. It sought to declare whatIslam is and what it is not, and what actions represent itand what actions do not. Its goal was to clarify to themodern world the true nature of Islam and the nature oftrue Islam.

In order to give this statement more religious author-ity, H.M. KingAbdullah II then sent the following threequestions to 24 of the most senior religious scholarsfrom all around the world representing all the branchesand schools of Islam: (1)Who is aMuslim? (2) Is it permissi-ble to declare someone an apostate (takfir)? (3) Who has theright toundertake issuing fatwas (legal rulings)?

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Based on the fatwas provided by these great scholars(who included the Shaykh Al-Azhar; Ayatollah Sistaniand Sheikh Qaradawi), in July 2005 ce, H.M. KingAbdullah II convened an international Islamic confer-ence of 200 of the worlds leading Islamic scholarsUlama) from 50 countries. In Amman, the scholarsunanimously issued a ruling on three fundamentalissues (which became known as the Three Points of theAmman Message):

1. They specically recognized the validity of all 8Mathhabs (legal schools) of Sunni, Shia and IbadhiIslam; of traditional Islamic Theology (Asharism);of Islamic Mysticism (Susm), and of true Salathought, and came to a precise denition of who is aMuslim.

2. Based upon this denition they forbade takfir (dec-larations of apostasy) between Muslims.

3. Based upon theMathahib they set forth the subjec-tive and objective preconditions for the issuing offatwas, thereby exposing ignorant and illegitimateedicts in the name of Islam.

These Three Points were then unanimously adopted

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by the Islamic Worlds political and temporal leader-ships at the Organization of the Islamic Conferencesummit at Mecca in December 2005. And over a periodof one year from July2005 to July2006, theThree Pointswere also unanimously adopted by six other internation-al Islamic scholarly assemblies, culminating with theInternational Islamic Fiqh Academy of Jeddah, in July2006. In total, over 500 leading Muslim scholars world-wideas can be seen from the Grand List on the pagesthat followunanimously endorsed the AmmanMessage and itsThree Points.

This amounts to a historical, universal and unani-mous religious and political consensus (ijma) of theUmmah (nation) of Islam in our day, and a consolidationof traditional, orthodox Islam. The signicance of thisis: (1) that it is the rst time in over a thousand years thattheUmmah has formally and specically come to such apluralistic mutual inter-recognition; and (2) that such arecognition is religiously legally binding on Muslimssince the Prophet (may peace and blessings be uponhim) said: My Ummah will not agree upon an error (IbnMajah,Sunan,Kitabal-Fitan,Hadithno.4085).

This is good news not only for Muslims, for whom itprovides a basis for unity and a solution to inghting,but also for non-Muslims. For the safeguarding of the

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legal methodologies of Islam (the Mathahib) necessarilymeans inherently preserving traditional Islams internalchecks and balances. It thus assures balanced Islamicsolutions for essential issues like human rights; womensrights; freedom of religion; legitimate jihad; good citi-zenship of Muslims in non-Muslim countries, and justand democratic government. It also exposes the illegiti-mate opinions of radical fundamentalists and terroristsfrom the point of view of true Islam. As George Yeo,the Foreign Minister of Singapore, declared in the 60thSession of the U.N. General Assembly (about theAmman Message): Without this clarication, the waragainst terrorism would be much harder to ght.

Finally, whilst this by the Grace of God is a historicalachievement, it will clearly remain only principial unlessit is put into practice everywhere. For this reason, H.M.King Abdullah II is now seeking to implement it, Godwilling, through various pragmatic measures, including(1) inter-Islamic treaties; (2) national and internationallegislation using the Three Points of the AmmanMessage to dene Islam and forbid takfir; (3) the use ofpublishing and the multi-media in all their aspects tospread theAmman Message; (4) instituting the teachingof theAmman Message in school curricula and universi-ty courses worldwide; and (5) making it part of the

training of mosque Imams and making it included intheir sermons.

God says in the Holy Quran says:There is no good inmuch of their secret conferences save(in) whosoever enjoineth charity and fairness andpeace-making among the people and whoso doeth that,seeking thegoodpleasure ofGod,Weshall bestowonhimavast reward. (Al-Nisa,4:114).

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THEAMMANMESSAGE

3THEAMMAN MESSAGE

In the name of god, the Compassionate, theMerciful. Peace and blessings upon His chosenProphet, and upon his household, his noble blessedcompanions, and upon all the messengers and prophets:

God Almighty has said: O humankind! We created youfrom a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribesthat you may know each other. Truly the most honored of youbeforeGod is themost pious of you. (49:13)

This is a declaration to our brethren in the lands ofIslam and throughout the world that Amman, the capi-tal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is proud toissue during the blessed month of Ramadan inwhich theQuran descended as guidance to humankind and as clarifica-tions for guidanceanddiscernment. (2:185)

In this declaration we speak frankly to the [Islamic]nation, at this difcult juncture in its history, regardingthe perils that beset it. We are aware of the challengesconfronting the nation, threatening its identity, assail-ing its tenets (kalima), and working to distort its religionand harm what is sacred to it. Today the magnanimous

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message of Islam faces a vicious attack from those whothrough distortion and fabrication try to portray Islamas an enemy to them. It is also under attack from somewho claim afliation with Islam and commit irresponsi-ble acts in its name.

This magnanimous message that the Originatorgreat is His powerrevealed to the unlettered ProphetMuhammadGods blessings and peace upon him, andthat was carried by his successors and the members ofhis household after him, is an address of brotherhood,humanity and a religion that encompasses all humanactivity. It states the truth directly, commands what isright, forbids what is wrong, honors the human being,and accepts others.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has embracedthe path of promoting the true luminous image ofIslam, halting the accusations against it and repellingthe attacks upon it. This is in accordance with the in-herited spiritual and historical responsibility carried bythe Hashemite monarchy, honored as direct descen-dants of the Prophet, the Messenger of Godpeaceand blessings upon himwho carried the message. Forve decades, his late Majesty King Hussein Bin TalalGod rest his souldemonstrated this way with the vig-orous effort that he exerted. Since the day he took the

ag, His Majesty King Abdullah II has continued thiseffort, with resolution and determination, as a serviceto Islam, fortifying the solidarity of 1.2 billion Muslimswho comprise one fth of humanity, preventing theirmarginalization or extrication from the movement ofhuman society, and afrming their role in buildinghuman civilization and participating in its progress dur-ing our present age.

Islam is founded upon basic principles, the funda-mentals are attesting to the unity of God (tawhidAllah);belief in the message of His Prophet; continuous con-nection with the Creator through ritual prayer (salat);training and rectifying the soul through the fast ofRamadan; safeguarding one another by paying the almstax (zakat); the unity of the people through the annualpilgrimage (hajj) to Gods Sanctied House, [per-formed] by those who are able; and [observing] Hisrulings that regulate human behavior in all its dimen-sions. Over history these [basic principles] have formeda strong and cohesive nation and a great civilization.They bear witness to noble principles and values thatverify the good of humanity, whose foundation is theoneness of the human species, and that people are equalin rights and obligations, peace and justice, realizingcomprehensive secur ity, mutual social responsibility,

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being good to ones neighbor, protecting belongings andproperty, honoring pledges, and more.

Together, these are principles that provide commonground for the followers of religions and [different]groups of people. That is because the origin of divinereligions is one, and Muslims believe in all Messengersof God and do not differentiate between any of them.Denying the message of any one of them is a deviationfrom Islam. This establishes a wide platform for thebelievers of [different] religions to meet the other uponcommon ground, for the service of human society, with-out encroaching upon creedal distinctions or uponintellectual freedom. For all of this we base ourselvesupon His saying:

The messenger believes in what has been revealed untohim from his Lord as do the believers. Each one believesin God and His angels and His scriptures and His mes-sengers. We make no distinction between any of Hismessengersand they say: We hear, and we obey.[Grant us] Your forgiveness, our Lord. UntoYou is thejourneying. (2:285)

Islam honors every human being, regardless of hiscolor, race or religion: We have honored the sons ofAdam,provided them transport on land and sea, sustained themwith

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good things, and conferred on themspecial favors aboveagreatpart of our creation. (17:70)

Islam also afrms that the way of calling [others] toGod is founded upon kindness and gentleness:Call to thepath of your Lord with wisdom and a beautiful exhortation,and debatewith them in thatwhich is most beautiful (ahsan).(16:125) Furthermore, it shuns cruelty and violence inhow one faces and addresses [others]:

It is by someMercy ofGod that youwere gentle to them.Were you severecruel heartedtheywouldhavebro-ken away fromyou. So pardon themandask forgivenessfor themand consultwith them in the conduct of affairs.Andwhenyouare resolved, put your trust inGod; trulyGod loves thosewho trust [inHim]. (3:159)

Islam has made clear that the goal of its message isrealizing mercy and good for all people. TheTranscendent has said, We did not send you [Muhammad]but out of mercy for all creatures. (21:107) And the ProphetMuhammadblessings and peace upon Himsaid,The Merciful has mercy upon those who are merciful,be merciful to those on earth, He who is in heaven willbe merciful unto you.

Islam calls for treating others as one desires to betreated. It urges the tolerance and forgiveness that

express the nobility of the human being:The recompensefor an evil is an evil equal thereto, butwho forgives and recon-ciles, his recompense is from God. (42:40) Good and evil arenot equal. Repel withwhat is most virtuous.Then he betweenwhomand you there is enmitywill be as if hewere an intimatefriend. (41:34)

Islam conrms the principle of justice in interactingwith others, safeguarding their rights, and conrms thatone must not deny people their possessions:And let notthe hatred of others make you swerve to wrong and departfromjustice.Be just: that is closer topiety; (5:8)Godcommandsyou to return trusts to their owners, and if you judge betweenpeople, you shall judgewith justice; (4:58) So give [full]meas-ure and [full] weight and do not deny the people their goods,andwork no corruption in the land, after it has been set right.(7:85)

Islam requires respect for pledges and covenants,and adhering to what has been specied; and it forbidstreachery and treason:Fulfill the covenantofGodwhenyouhave entered into it, and break not oaths after they have beenconfirmed and you have made God your surety; truly Godknowswhatyoudo. (16:91)

Islam recognizes the noble station of [human] life, sothere is to be no ghting against non-combatants, andno assault upon civilians and their properties, children

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at their mothers bosom, students in their schools, norupon elderly men and women. Assault upon the life of ahuman being, be it murder, injury or threat, is an assaultupon the right to life among all human beings. It isamong the gravest of sins; for human life is the basis forthe prosperity of humanity:Whoever kills a soul for otherthan slaying a soul or corruption upon the earth it is as if he haskilled the whole of humanity, andwhoever saves a life, it is asif has revived thewhole ofhumanity. (5:32)

The primordial religion of Islam is founded uponequanimity, balance, moderation, and facilitation:Thushave we made of you a middle nation that you might be wit-nesses over the people, and the Messenger a witness overyourselves. (2:143) The Prophet Muhammadpeace andblessings upon himsaid: Facilitate and do not makedifcult, bear good tidings and do not deter. Islam hasprovided the foundation for the knowledge, reectionand contemplation that has enabled the creation of thisdeep-rooted civilization that was a crucial link by whichtheWest arrived at the gates of modern knowledge, andin whose accomplishments non-Muslims participated,as a consequence of its being a comprehensive humancivilization.

No day has passed but that this religion has been atwar against extremism, radicalism and fanaticism, for

they veil the intellect from foreseeing negative conse-quences [of ones actions]. Such blind impetuousnessfalls outside the human regulations pertaining to reli-gion, reason and character. They are not from the truecharacter of the tolerant, accepting Muslim.

Islam rejects extremism, radicalism and fanati-cismjust as all noble, heavenly religions reject themconsidering them as recalcitrant ways and forms ofinjustice. Furthermore, it is not a trait that character-izes a particular nation; it is an aberration that has beenexperienced by all nations, races, and religions.They arenot particular to one people; truly they are a phenome-non that every people, every race and every religion hasknown.

We denounce and condemn extremism, radicalismand fanaticism today, just as our forefathers tirelesslydenounced and opposed them throughout Islamic his-tory. They are the ones who afrmed, as do we, the rmand unshakeable understanding that Islam is a religionof [noble] character traits in both its ends and means; areligion that strives for the good of the people, theirhappiness in this life and the next; and a religion that canonly be defended in ways that are ethical; and the endsdo not justify the means in this religion.

The source of relations between Muslims and others

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is peace; for there is no ghting [permitted] when thereis no aggression. Even then, [it must be done with]benevolence, justice and virtue:God does not prevent you,as regards those who do not fight you in religions [cause], nordrive you from your homes, from dealing kindly and justlywith them: trulyGod loves the just; (60:8)Then if they cease,let there benoaggression, saveagainst the oppressors. (2:193)

On religious and moral grounds, we denounce thecontemporary concept of terrorism that is associatedwith wrongful practices, whatever their source andform may be. Such acts are represented by aggressionagainst human life in an oppressive form that trans-gresses the rulings of God, frightening those who aresecure, violating peaceful civilians, nishing off thewounded, and killing prisoners; and they employ uneth-ical means, such as destroying buildings and ransackingcities:Donot kill the soul thatGod hasmade sacrosanct, savefor justice. (6:151)

We condemn these practices and believe that resist-ing oppression and conrming justice should be alegitimate undertaking through legitimate means. Wecall on the people to take the necessary steps to achievethe strength and steadfastness for building identity andpreserving rights.

We realize that over history extremism has been

instrumental in destroying noble achievements in greatcivilizations, and that the tree of civilization witherswhen malice takes hold and breasts are shut. In all itsshapes, extremism is a stranger to Islam, which is found-ed upon equanimity and tolerance. No human whoseheart has been illumined by God could be a radicalextremist.

At the same time, we decry the campaign of brazendistortion that portrays Islam as a religion that encour-ages violence and institutionalizes terrorism. We callupon the international community to work earnestly toimplement international laws and honor the interna-tional mandates and resolutions issued by the UnitedNations, ensuring that all parties accept them and thatthey be enacted without double standards, to guaranteethe return of rights to their [rightful] holders and theend of oppression. Achieving this will be a signicantcontribution to uprooting the causes of violence, fanati-cism and extremism.

The way of this great religion that we are honoredto belong to calls us to afliate with and participate inmodern society, and to contribute to its elevation andprogress, helping one another with every faculty [toachieve] good and to comprehend, desiring justice forall peoples, while faithfully proclaiming the truth [of

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our religion], and sincerely expressing the soundness ofour faith and beliefsall of which are founded uponGods call for coexistence and piety. [We are called] towork toward renewing our civilization, based upon theguidance of religion, and following upon establishedpractical intellectual policies.

The primary components of these policies comprisedeveloping methods for preparing preachers, with thegoal of ensuring that they realize the spirit of Islam andits methodology for structuring human life, as well asproviding them with knowledge of contemporary cul-ture, so that they are able to interact with theircommunities on the basis of awareness and insight: Say,This ismyway. I, and thosewho followme, call forGodwithinsight. (12:108); taking advantage of the communica-tion revolution to refute the doubts that the enemies ofIslam are arousing, in a sound, intellectual manner,without weakness or agitation, and with a style thatattracts the reader, the listener and the viewer; consoli-dating the educational structure for individualMuslims, who are condent in their knowledge andabilities, working to form the integral identity that pro-tects against corrupting forces; interest in scienticresearch and working with the modern sciences uponthe basis of the Islamic perspective that distinguishes

between creation, life and the human being; benetingfrom modern achievements in the elds of science andtechnology; adopting an Islamic approach for realizingthe comprehensive development that is founded upon[maintaining] the delicate balance between the spiritu-al, economic and social dimensions [of life]; providingfor human rights and basic liberties, ensuring life, digni-ty and security, and guaranteeing basic needs;administering the affairs of society in accordance withthe principles of justice and consultation; and benet-ing from the goods and mechanisms for adoptingdemocracy that human society has presented.

Hope lies in the scholars of our Nation, that throughthe reality of Islam and its values they will enlighten theintellects of our youththe ornament of our presentage and the promise of our future. The scholars shieldour youth from the danger of sliding down the paths ofignorance, corruption, close-mindedness and subordi-nation. It is our scholars who illuminate for them thepaths of tolerance, moderation, and goodness, and pre-vent them from [falling] into the abysses of extremismand fanaticism that destroy the spirit and body.

We look to our scholars to lead us in partaking of ourrole and verifying our priorities, that they may be exem-plars in religion, character, conduct, and discerning

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enlightened speech, presenting to the nation theirnoble religion that brings ease [in all matters] and itspractical laws in which lie the awakening and joy of thenation. Among the individuals of the nation andthroughout the regions of the world, they disseminategood, peace and benevolence, through subtle knowl-edge, insightful wisdom and political guidance in allmatters, uniting and not dividing, appeasing hearts andnot deterring them, looking to the horizons of fulll-ment to meet the requirements and challenges of the21st century.

We ask God to prepare for our Islamic Nation thepaths of renaissance, prosperity and advancement; toshield it from the evils of extremism and close-minded-ness; to preserve its rights, sustain its glory, and upholdits dignity. What an excellent Lord is he, and what anexcellent Supporter.

GodAlmighty says:This isMy straight path, so follow it.And follow not the [other] ways, lest you be parted from Hisway.This hasHe ordained for you, that youmay beGod-fear-ing. (6:152 153)

And the last of our supplications is that praise be toGod,Lordof theworlds. (10:10)

Amman Ramadan 1425hijriThe Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan November2004ce

the three pointsof the amman message

the official text of the three points(version 1)

(1) Whosoever is an adherent to one of the four Sunnischools (Mathahib) of Islamic jurisprudence (Hanafi,Maliki, Shafii and Hanbali), the two Shii schools ofIslamic jurisprudence (Jafari and Zaydi), the Ibadischool of Islamic jurisprudence and the Thahiri schoolof Islamic jurisprudence, is a Muslim. Declaring thatperson an apostate is impossible and impermissible.Verily his (or her) blood, honour, and property areinviolable. Moreover, in accordance with the ShaykhAl-Azhars fatwa, it is neither possible nor permissibleto declare whosoever subscribes to the Ashari creed orwhoever practices real Tasawwuf (Susm) an apostate.Likewise, it is neither possible nor permissible todeclare whosoever subscribes to true Salafi thought anapostate.

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Equally, it is neither possible nor permissible todeclare as apostates any group of Muslims who believesin God, Gloried and Exalted be He, and HisMessenger (may peace and blessings be upon him) andthe pillars of faith, and acknowledges the ve pillars ofIslam, and does not deny any necessarily self-evidenttenet of religion.

(2) There exists more in common between the variousschools of Islamic jurisprudence than there isdifference between them. The adherents to the eightschools of Islamic jurisprudence are in agreement asregards the basic principles of Islam.All believe inAllah(God), Gloried and Exalted be He, the One and theUnique; that the Noble Quran is the Revealed Word ofGod; and that our master Muhammad, may blessingsand peace be upon him, is a Prophet and Messengerunto all mankind. All are in agreement about the vepillars of Islam: the two testaments of faith(shahadatayn); the ritual prayer (salat); almsgiving(zakat); fasting the month of Ramadan (sawm), and theHajj to the sacred house of God (in Mecca). All are alsoin agreement about the foundations of belief: belief inAllah (God), His angels, His scriptures, Hismessengers, and in the Day of Judgment, in Divine

Providence in good and in evil. Disagreements betweenthe ulama (scholars) of the eight schools of Islamicjurisprudence are only with respect to the ancillarybranches of religion (furu) and not as regards theprinciples and fundamentals (usul) [of the religion ofIslam]. Disagreement with respect to the ancillarybranches of religion (furu) is a mercy. Long ago it wassaid that variance in opinion among the ulama(scholars) is a good affair.

(3) Acknowledgement of the schools of Islamicjurisprudence (Mathahib) within Islam means adheringto a fundamental methodology in the issuance offatwas: no one may issue a fatwa without the requisitepersonal qualications which each school of Islamicjurisprudence determines [for its own adherents]. Noone may issue a fatwa without adhering to themethodology of the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.No one may claim to do absolute Ijtihad and create anew school of Islamic jurisprudence or to issueunacceptable fatwas that take Muslims out of theprinciples and certainties of the Shariah and what hasbeen established in respect of its schools ofjurisprudence.

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the three points

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the three points endorsed at the islamicfiqh academy conference (version 2)

The Official version of the three points of the AmmanMessage (see above) was the version signed by most of thesignatories listed in the Grand list on the following pages.Thethree points were also endorsed at the Islamic FiqhAcademys17th session held inAmman, Jordan, on 24th-28th June 2006.The text had slight variations to the official text yet itfollowed an essentially identitical form. This is duly noted asversion 2 in theGrandList.The full text is as follows:

(1) Whosoever is an adherent to one of the four Sunnischools (Mathahib) of Islamic jurisprudence (Hanafi,Maliki, Shafii and Hanbali), the two Shii schools ofIslamic jurisprudence (Jafari and Zaydi), the Ibadischool of Islamic jurisprudence and the Thahiri schoolof Islamic jurisprudence, is a Muslim. Declaring thatperson an apostate is impossible and impermissible.Verily his (or her) blood, honour, and property areinviolable. Moreover, in accordance with the ShaykhAl-Azhars fatwa, it is neither possible nor permissibleto declare whosoever subscribes to the Ashari creed orwhoever practices real Tasawwuf (Susm) an apostate.

Likewise, it is neither possible nor permissible todeclare whosoever subscribes to true Salafi thought anapostate.

Equally, it is neither possible nor permissible todeclare as apostates any other group of Muslims whobelieves in God, Gloried and Exalted be He, and HisMessenger (may peace and blessings be upon him), thepillars of faith (Iman), and the ve pillars of Islam, anddoes not deny any necessarily self-evident tenet ofreligion.

(2) There exists more in common between the variousschools of Islamic jurisprudence than there is differencebetween them. The adherents to the eight schools ofIslamic jurisprudence are in agreement as regards thebasic principles of Islam. All believe in Allah (God),Gloried and Exalted be He, the One and the Unique;that the Noble Quran is the RevealedWord of God pre-served and protected by God, Exalted be He, from anychange or aberration; and that our master Muhammad,may blessings and peace be upon him, is a Prophet andMessenger unto all mankind.All are in agreement aboutthe ve pillars of Islam: the two testaments of faith (sha-hadatayn); the ritual prayer (salat); almsgiving (zakat);fasting the month of Ramadan (sawm), and the Hajj to

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the sacred house of God (in Mecca).All are also in agree-ment about the foundations of belief: belief in Allah(God), His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, andin the Day of Judgment, in Divine Providence in goodand in evil. Disagreements between the ulama (schol-ars) of the eight schools of Islamic jurisprudence areonly with respect to the ancillary branches of religion(furu) and some fundamentals (usul) [of the religion ofIslam]. Disagreement with respect to the ancillarybranches of religion (furu`) is a mercy. Long ago it wassaid that variance in opinion among the ulama (scholars)is a mercy.

(3) Acknowledgement of the schools of Islamicjurisprudence (Mathahib) within Islam means adheringto a fundamental methodology in the issuance offatwas: no one may issue a fatwa without the requisitequalications of knowledge. No one may issue a fatwawithout adhering to the methodology of the schoolsof Islamic jurisprudence. No one may claim to dounlimited Ijtihad and create a new opinion or issueunacceptable fatwas that take Muslims out of theprinciples and certainties of the Shariah and what hasbeen established in respect of its schools ofjurisprudence.

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(July 2005July 2006)

Total number of signatures:552 * from84 countries

code / conference

True Islam and Its Role in Modern SocietyConference,Amman (July 2005)[three points version 1] - signed

Forum of Muslim Ulama andThinkers, Mecca(September 2005) - endorsed

* Islamic Schools of Jurisprudence Conference,AalAl-Bayt University, Jordan (November 2005)- endorsed

9th Session of the Council of Ministers of ReligiousEndowments and IslamicAffairs, Kuwait(November 2005) - endorsed

3rd Extraordinary Session, OIC, Mecca(December 2005) - endorsed

Moderate IslamicThought and Culture,Amman(April 2006) [three points version 1] - signed

International FiqhAcademy Conference,Amman(June 2006) [three points version 2] - signed

total

201

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33

7

54

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68

grand list of all religious and politicalleaders who have endorsed the amman

message and its three points

Muslims of Europe Conference, Istanbul(July 2006) - endorsed

islamic republic of afghanistan

1 H.E.Mr.HamidKarzai President

2 Amb.NusairAhmadNour AfghaniAmbassador to QatarIslamic Envoy of the Government ofAfghanistan

republic of albania

3 H.E.Mr.FlorentCeliku Deputy Minister of ForeignAffairs

4 Mr.TahirZenelhasani

peoples democratic republic of algeria

5 H.E.Mr.AbdelAzizBelkhadem Minister of ForeignAffairs

6 H.E.Lakhdar Ibrahimi Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the UnitedNations; Former Foreign Minister ofAlgeria

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signatories

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7 Prof.Dr.AbdAllahbin al-HajjMuhammadAlGhulamAllah Minister of ReligiousAffairs

8 Dr.MustafaSharif Minister of Higher Education andFormerAlgerianAmbassador in Cairo

9 ShaykhYusufbinMahdi Professor and Member of the Fatwa Committee inAlgeria

10 Dr.SaidShayban Former Minister of ReligiousAffairs

11 Prof.Dr.AmmarAl-Talibi Department of Philosophy, University ofAlgeria

12 Mr.AbuJaraAl-Sultani Head of theAlgerian Peace Society Movement

13 Dr.AmmarJaydal *Batina University

14 Dr.MuhammadZurman *Batina University

australia

15 ShaykhSalim Ulwanal-Hassani fatwa Secretary General Darulfatwa, Islamic High Council

16 Ms.MahaKarimAbdo

austria

17 Prof.AnasAl-Shaqfa Head of the Islamic Commission

18 AymanAly Federation of the Islamic Organizations in Europe, Graz

19 Mr.TarafaBaghajati Initiative ofAustrian Muslims

republic of azerbaijan

20 H.E.Mr. IlhamAliev President

21 ShaykhAl-IslamAllah-ShakurbinHemmatBashazada Grand Mufti, MuslimAdministration of the Caucasus

kingdom of bahrain

22 H.M.KingHamadbin IsaAlKhalifa 23 ShaykhDr.MuhammadAliAl-Sutri

Minister of Justice

24 Dr.FaridbinYaqubAl-Miftah Undersecretary of the Ministry for IslamicAffairs

25 Mr.MansourAl-Jamri

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signatories

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26 Dr. IbrahimFadilAl-Dibbo Professor, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bahrain

peoples republic of bangladesh

27 H.E.BegumKhaledaZia Prime Minister

28 Prof.Dr.AbuAl-HasanSadiq President of theAsian University of Bangladesh

29 Prof. ShamshirAli President of theAcademy of Sciencesand UniversityVice-President

belgium

30 Mr. IsmailBatakli Professor of Islamic Studies

31 Mr.MohamedBoulif President, Islamic Executive Council

32 Mr.AhmedBouziane

33 Dr.KarimChemlal Pasteur Institute, Lille

34 Mrs.MalikaHamidi-Hosseinpour Coordinator, European Muslim Network

35 Mr. IbrahimKocaoglu

36 SheikhYacobMahi Professor of Islamic Studies,Athne Royal Lonardo daVinci

37 Dr.AbdelmajidMhauchi Professor of Islamic Studies

38 Mr.KhalladSwaid President, FEMYSO

republic of benin

39 H.E.Mr.Dzulkifli Salami Senior Minister of Planning, Economy and Development

40 ShaykhFathi Shitu

bosnia and herzegovina

41 Prof.Dr. ShaykhMustafaCeric Head of the Ulama and Grand Mufti of Bosnia andHerzegovina

42 Prof.HasanMakic Mufti of Bihac

43 H.E.ProfessorEnesKaric Professor in Faculty of Islamic Studies

44 Prof.AnesLjevakovic Researcher and Lecturer, Islamic Studies College

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45 Dr.AhmetAlibasic Lecturer, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Sarajevo

46 Mr.AmerBukvic Islamic Development Bank

47 ImamSenaidKobilica Vice President, Islamic Council of Norway

48 Mr.MirnesKovac Journalist, Preporod Islamic Newspaper

49 Dr.SukrijaRamic University of Zenica

brunei darussalam

50 H.M.SultanHajiHassanalBolkiah 51 Prof. Suhaili binHajjMuhyiAl-Din

Deputy Mufti of Brunei

burkina faso

52 H.E.Mr.YoussoufOuedraogo Minister of State, Minister of ForeignAffairs

53 Dr.AbuBakrDakuri Member of the Executive Council, ISESCO

brazil

54 ShaykhAliMuhmmadAbduni Representative of the International IslamicYouth Club inLatinAmerica; Accredited Religious Representative ofthe DarAl-Fatwa of the Republic of Lebanon in Sao Paolo

republic of cameroon

55 H.E.Mr.MarfaHamidouYaya Minister of State

56 ShaykhMahmudMalbakri Imam, Grand Mosque and President of the Council ofUlama

canada

57 ShaykhFarazRabbani Hanafi Scholar, Sunnipath.com

58 Mr.FouzanKhan Reviving the Islamic Spirit Organization

republic of chad

59 H.E.Mr. IdrisDerby President

60 ShaykhDr.HusseinHasanAbkar President, Higher Council for IslamicAffairs, Chad

61 Mr.Tijani SabunMuhammad

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signatories

31

union of comoros

62 H.E.Mr.KubMohamedLisharti Deputy President

republic of cote divoire

63 H.E.Mr.HamzaSalleh Ambassador in Riyadh

denmark

64 Imam FatihAlev DanishAssociation of Cybermuslims

republic of djibuti

65 H.E.Mr. IsmailOmarGulleh President

66 ShaykhAbdAl-RahmanSulaymanBashir Member of the Higher Judiciary Council

arab republic of egypt

67 H.E.Mr.MohamedHosniMubarak President

68 H.E.GrandImamProf.Dr.MuhammadSayyidTantawi fatwaShaykh al-Azhar

69 Prof.Dr.MahmudHamdiZaqzuq Minister of ReligiousAffairs

70 Prof.Dr.Ali Jumua fatwa * Grand Mufti of theArab Republic of Egypt

71 Prof.Dr.AhmadMuhammadAl-Tayyib President ofAl-Azhar University

72 Prof.Dr.KamalAbuAl-Majd Islamic Intellectual; Former Minister of Information;Attorney in the Court of Cassation

73 Dr.MuhammadAl-AhmadiAbuAl-Nur *Former Minister of ReligiousAffairs in theArab Republicof Egypt; Professor, Faculty of Islamic Law,YarmoukUniversity, Jordan

74 Prof.Dr.FawziAl-Zifzaf Chairman of the Permanent Committee of NobleAl-Azhar for DialogueAmong the Heavenly Religions;Member of theAcademy of Islamic Research

75 Prof.Dr.HasanHanafi Researcher and Islamic Intellectual, Department ofPhilosophy, Cairo University; Fellow of theAal al-BaytInstitute for IslamicThought

76 Prof.Dr.MuhammadMuhammadAl-Kahlawi Secretary, General Union of IslamicArchaeologists;Dean, Faculty ofAntiquities, Fayyum Branch, CairoUniversity

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77 Prof.Dr.AymanFuadSayyid Former Secretary General, Dar al-KutubAl-Misriyya

78 ShaykhDr.ZaghlulNajjar Head of the Committee onThe Miraculous Nature of theQuran in the Higher Council for IslamicAffairs, Egypt

79 ShaykhMoezMasood Islamic Missionary

80 Prof.Dr.MuhammadAl-Dasuqi *Researcher and Member of the Forum for theProximity of the Islamic Schools of Jurisprudence

81 Mr.AmrKhaled Islamic Missionary

82 Mr.BaraKherigi Director,Awakening Records

83 Dr.HebaRaoufEzzat Department of Political Science, Cairo University

84 Dr. JafarAbdussalam President of the League of Islamic Universities

85 Dr.ShawqiAhmadDunya Dean of the (Womens) Faculty of Commerce,Al-AzharUniversity

86 Dr. Umar AbdAl-Kafi

87 Dr.Huda AbdAl-Sami

88 Eng. AmrFarukFarid

89 Mr.MuhammadAl-SammanLutfi

90 Eng.AbuAl-AlaMadi

91 Dr. AbdAl-WahhabAl-Masiri

92 Dr. AbdAl-HalimOweis

93 Mr.AhmadShaban

94 Mr.HusamTammam

95 Mr.MuntasirAl-Zayyat

96 Dr.Ragedal-Sirjani

97 Dr.MuhammadHidaya

98 Dr.MuhammadAbdal-MunimAbuZayd Professor, Faculty of Shariah, Department of IslamicEconomics,Yarmouk University

republic of france

99 ShaykhProf.DalilAbuBakr Chairman of the France Supreme Council of the IslamicReligion and Dean of the Paris Mosque

100 Dr.HusaynRais Director of CulturalAffairs, Paris Grand Mosque

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101 Prof.Dr.AbdAl-MajidAl-Najjar *President of the Islamic Centre, Paris

102 Dr.FouadAlaoui President, Union of Islamic Organizations in France(UOIF)

103 Ms.FatihaAjbli Sociologist

104 Ms.SihamAndalouci Member, Prsence Musulman

105 Dr.AhmedBakcan Representative, Milli Grs

106 Mr.AbdelwahebBakli President, MuslimYouth of France

107 ShaykhKhalidAdlenBentounes Alawiyah Sufi Order; Honorary President of theInternationalAssociation of the Friends of Islam

108 Mr.ElHadjiBabouBiteye President, Muslim Students of France (EMF)

109 Mr.LajThamiBreze Union of Islamic Organizations in France (UOIF)

110 Mr.HaydarDemiryrek Secretary General,The Islamic Council of France

111 Dr.BoubakerElHadjAmor Treasurer, Union of Islamic Organizations in France(UOIF)

112 ShaykhOunisGuergah Head of the Fatwa House, Paris

113 Prof.Dr.merFarukHarman DITIP, Germany

114 Mr.FouadImarraine Collecive of Muslims of France

115 Dr.AhmedJaballah Member of the European Council for Fatwa and Reseach,France

116 Mrs.NouraBenHamoudaJaballah President of European women forum (France)

117 Dr.ZuhairMahmood Institute for the Human Sciences (IESH), Paris

118 Dr.MohamedMestiri Director, International Institute of IslamicThought, Paris

119 Mr.AbdelmajidNajar

120 Ms.NoraRami Free Community Organization, Paris

121 ShaykhZakariaSeddiki

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37

122 Dr.MuhamadBashari President, Federal Society for Muslims in France

republic of gabon

123 H.E.ElhadjAliBongoAwadamba Minister of National Defence and Chairman of SupremeCouncil for IslamicAffairs and Special Envoy of thePresident

republic of gambia

124 H.E.AlhajiDr.YahyaA.J.J. Jammeh President

125 Mr.SambaFall Minister of ForeignAffairs,Youth, Sport, and ReligiousAffairs, Gambia

126 Prof.Dr.Omar Jah Former DeputyAssistant to the President for SpecialAssistance Programs, Islamic Development Bank,Jeddah

republic of germany

127 Prof.Dr.MuradHofmann Former GermanAmbassador to Morocco; Intellectual andResearcher

128 ShaykhSalahAl-DinAl-Jafarawi Assistant Secretary-General ofWorld Council for IslamicPropagation

129 Mr.Ridvanakir President,Turkish-Islamic Union of Germany

130 ShaykhBashirAhmadDultz German Muslim League

131 Mr.BelalEl-Mogaddedi

132 Mr. IbrahimF.El-Zayat Head of Public Relations, Federation of IslamicOrganisations in Europe (FIOE)

133 Dr.SabihaEl-Zayat Centre for IslamicWomen Studies, Institutefor the Human Sciences (IESH), Paris

134 Mr.MesudGlbahar IGMG President ofYouth Organisations, Germany

135 Mr.AliKizilkaya Head, Islamic Council of Germany

136 Dr.EypA.Khler

137 Mr.MichaelMuhammedAbduhPfaff German Muslim League

138 Mr.CelalTter IGMG President of University Org., Germany

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signatories

39

139 Mr.RecepYildirim EuropeAssociation ofTurkish Cultural Centers, Germany

140 Mr.OsmanYoba

141 Mr.NabilChabib

republic of guinea

142 H.E.Mr.CellouDaleinDiallo Prime Minister

143 Mr.Al-HusayniDiallo Inspector General, Ministry of Justice

144 Prof.Dr.QutbMustafaSanu Department of Usul al-Fiqh, International IslamicUniversity of Malaysia

republic of india

145 H.E.MaulanaMahmoodMadani Member of Parliament; General Secretary, JamiatUlema-i-Hindi

146 Prince JafarAl-SadiqMufaddal SayfAl-Din Islamic Intellectual

147 PrinceTahaSayfAl-Din Islamic Intellectual

148 Prof.Dr. SayyidAwsafAli President of Hamdard University

149 Prof.Dr.AkhtarAl-Wasi Head of the Bureau of Islamic Studies, Dean of the Collegeof Humanities and Languages; Director of the DhakirHusayn Centre for Islamic Studies

republic of indonesia

150 H.E.Dr.AlawibinShihab Coordinating Minister for PeoplesWelfareand Special Envoy of the President

151 DrMuhammadMaftuhBasyuni Minister of ReligiousAffairs

152 Dr.TuttyAlawiyah President,Al-Shafii Islamic University

153 Amb.RabhanAbdAl-Wahhab Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to theHashemite Kingdom of Jordan

154 ShaykhAl-HajjAhmadHashimMuzadi Chairman, Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia

155 ShaykhRozyMunir Vice-Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama,Indonesia

156 Mr.MuhamadIqbal Sullam International Conference of Islamic Scholars, Indonesia

157 Dr.MuhammadMasyuriNaim Professor, Islamic University

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158 Prof.Dr.M.DinSyamsuddin Chairman of Muhammadiyah

islamic republic of iran

159 SupremeSpiritualLeaderGrandAyatollahAl-SayyidAliKhamenei fatwa

160 H.E.Dr.MahmoodAhmedinejad President

161 GrandAyatollahShaykhMuhammadAliAl-Taskhirifatwa Secretary General, Forum for the Proximity of the IslamicSchools of Jurisprudence

162 GrandAyatollahAl-SayyidFadilLankarani fatwa

163 GrandAyatollahMuhammadWaez-zadehAl-Khorasani Former Secretary General, Forum for the Proximity of theIslamic Schools of Jurisprudence

164 GrandAyatollahProf.Dr.Al-Sayyid MustafaMohagheghDamad Director of theAcademy of Sciences; Justice in theMinistry of Justice; Head of the Inspectorate General

165 HujjatAl-IslamDr.MahmoudMohammadi Iraqi Chairman of the Cultural League and Islamic Relationsin the Islamic Republic of Iran

166 Dr.Al-SayyidMahmoudMarashiAl-Najafi Head of the GrandAyatollah MarashiAl-Najafi Library

167 Dr.MuhammadAliAdharshab Secretary-General,Arab-Iranian Friendship Society

168 Mr.MurtadaHashimBurQadi Secretary-General, Bureau for International Relations,Great Islamic Encyclopaedia

169 ShaykhAbbasAli Sulaymani Representative of the Supreme Spiritual Leaderin Eastern Iran

170 Mr.GhulamRidaMirzai Member, Consultative Council

171 Dr.SyedMuhammadRidaKhatimi Political leader; Former Deputy Speaker of the IranianParliament

172 ShaykhMuhammadShariati FormerAdvisor to the President of Iran; Member ofParliament

173 Amb.MuhammadKazemKhuwansari Permanent Representative of Iran to the OIC

174 Mr.MaShaAllahMahmoudShamsAl-Waithin Journalist andWriter

175 Dr.RuqayyaRustumYurmaki *Imam Sadiq University

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signatories

43

176 Dr.MojganSakhaei *Imam Sadiq University

177 ShaykhAhmadMablaghi Professor, Qom Seminary

178 Dr.GholamRezaNoor-Mohammadi Director, Centre for Islamic Medical Research, Imam al-Sadiq University, Qom; Professor, Faculty of Medicine,University ofTehran

179 ShaykhHassan JawahiriZadeh Professor, Religious Seminary, Qom

republic of iraq

180 H.E.Mr. JalalTalabani President

181 GrandAyatollahAl-SayyidAli Sistani fatwa

182 GrandAyatollahShaykhIshaqAl-Fayad fatwa

183 GrandAyatollahAl-SayyidMuhammadSaidAl-Hakim fatwa

184 GrandAyatollahShaykhBashirAl-Najafi fatwa

185 GrandAyatollahAl-SayyidShaykhHussein IsmailAl-Sadr fatwa

186 GrandAyatollahShaykhHusaynAl-Muayyad *Knowledge Forum, Baghdad

187 GrandAyatollahAhmadal-Bahadili Islamic Missionary

188 ShaykhDr.HarithAl-Dari Head of Ulema organization

189 Dr.Muhsin AbdAl-Hamid

190 Dr.AhmadAbdAl-GhaffurAl-Samarai Head of the Diwan of the SunniWaqf

191 Al-SayyidAbdal-SahibAl-Khoei Secretary General, ImamAl-Khoei Benevolent Foundation

192 Al-SayyidMuhammadAl-Musawi Secretary General,World IslamicAhlAl-Bayt League

193 ShaykhDr.MahmoudMhd.DawudAl-Sumaydai

194 Prof.Dr.AbdAl-AzizAl-Duri Researcher and Historian, Department of History,University of Jordan; Fellow ofAal al-Bayt Institute forIslamicThought

195 Prof.Dr.BashsharAwwadMarouf *Researcher and Editor; Fellow ofAal al-Bayt Institute forIslamicThought

196 ShaykhAbbasAliKashifAl-Ghita College of Islamic Studies, University of al-Kufa

197 Dr.AbdAl-HamidAl-Najdi Islamic Intellectual

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45

198 ShaykhWalidFarajAllahAl-Asadi College of Islamic Studies, University of al-Kufa

199 ShaykhProf.Dr.AhmadAl-Kubaysi Missionary and Islamic Intellectual

200 Prof.GhanemJawad Director of CulturalAffairs, Khoei BenevolentFoundation

201 Mr.MuhammadAllawi Assistant Director General,World IslamicAhlAl-BaytLeague

202 Prof. SadAl-Malla Islamic Intellectual

203 Dr.MustafaAbdAl-IlahKamalAl-Din Islamic Intellectual

204 Prof.Dr.AdnanAliAl-Faraji *Islamic University

205 Dr.AzizRashidAl-Dayini *Islamic University

206 Dr.AbdAl-QadirMustafaAl-Muhammadi *Islamic University

207 Mr. AlaAl-DinAl-Mudarris *Researcher and Historian

republic of ireland

208 Mr.Noohal-Kaddo Director, Islamic Cultural Centre of Irelands

italy

209 Mr.YahyaSergioPallavicini Vice President, Islamic Religious Community of Italy(CO.RE.IS.)

210 Dr.AliAbuShwaima Head, Islamic Centre of Milan

hashemite kingdom of jordan

211 H.M.KingAbdullah IIbinAl-Hussein 212 Prof.Dr.HRHPrinceGhazi binMuhammad

Personal Envoy and SpecialAdvisor to HM KingAbdullahII binAl-Hussein; Chairman of the Board ofTrustees oftheAal al-Bayt Institute for IslamicThought

213 ShaykhIzzedineAl-KhatibAl-Tamimi IslamicAffairsAdvisor to HM the King; Chief Justice

214 Prof.Dr.Abdul-SalamAl-Abbadi Former Minister of IslamicAffairs; President,Aal al-BaytUniversity

215 Prof.Dr. ShaykhAhmadHlayyel Advisor to HM the King and Imam of the Royal Court

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47

216 ShaykhSaidAl-Hijjawi Grand Mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

217 Mr.AkelBultaji Advisor to HM the King

218 Prof.Dr.KhalidTouqan Minister of Education; Minister of Higher Education andScientific Research

219 H.E.ShaykhSalimFalahat Director General of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan

220 H.E.ShaykhDr.AbdAl-Aziz Khayyat Former Minister of ReligiousAffairs

221 ShaykhNuhAl-Quda Former Mufti of the JordanianArmed Forces

222 Prof.Dr.KhalidAl-Karaki Deputy-Chairman of the Board ofTrustees,Aal al-BaytInst. for IslamicThought; President, Jerash PrivateUniversity

223 Prof.Dr. IshaqAl-Farhan President of Zarqa Private University;Former Minister of Education

224 Prof.Kamil IsmailHamdanAl-Sharif Secretary General, International Council for IslamicPropagation and Relief

225 Dr.AbdAl-LatifArabiyyat Former Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament;Chairman of the Consultative Committee of the IslamicAction Front

226 ShaykhAbdAl-KarimSalimS.Al-Khasawneh Grand Mufti of the JordanianArmed Forces

227 Prof.Dr.AdelAl-Toweisi *Former President,Aal al-Bayt University; Minister ofCulture

228 Prof.Dr.YusufAl-Ghaydhan Dean of the University Faculty of Religion, BalqaAppliedUniversity

229 ShaykhHasanAl-Saqqaf Advisor to the Chairman of the Board ofTrustees of theAal al-Bayt Institute for IslamicThought; Director ofImamAl-Nawawi Publishers and Distributors

230 Eng.MarwanAl-Faouri Chairman, Forum for Moderation inThought and Culture

231 Mrs.NawalAl-Faouri Educator and Islamic Intellectual

232 Prof.Dr.AbdAl-NasirAbuAl-Basal Former Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Law,YarmoukUniversity

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49

233 Mr.BilalAl-Tal Editor-in-Chief, Liwa Newspaper

234 Prof.Dr.AzmiTahaAl-Sayyid College of Jurisprudential and Legal Studies,Aal al-BaytUniversity

235 Prof.Dr.MuhammadHishamSultan *Vice-President for Islamic Studies,Aal al-Bayt University

236 Prof.Dr.ZiyadAl-Daghamin *Dean of the College of Jurisprudential and JuridicalStudies, Head of the Preparatory Committee of theInternal Islamic Conference

237 Dr.RashidSaidShahwan Faculty of Islamic Propagation and the Fundamentals ofReligion, BalqaApplied University

238 Prof.Dr.QahtanAl-Duri *Aal al-Bayt University

239 Prof.Dr. SharifAl-ShaykhSalihAl-Khatib *Aal al-Bayt University

240 Prof.Dr.AbdAl-MajidAl-Salahin *Dean of the College of Islamic Law, University of Jordan

241 Dr.Hayil AbdAl-Hafiz

242 Shaykh AbdAl-KarimAl-Akor

243 Mr.HaythamAl-Amayreh

244 Dr.MuhammadAl-Khatib

245 Mr.HatimAl-Manasir

246 Dr.MalikAl-Moumini

247 Dr.MuhammadAl-Qada

248 Dr.FayezAl-Rabi

republic of kazakhstan

249 H.E.Mr.AskarMussinov Ambassador in Riyadh and Special Envoy of the President

kenya

250 ShaykhAbdullahiAbdi Chief Executive Officer, NorthernAid

state of kuwait

251 H.H.ShaykhSabahAlAhmadAl JaberAlSabah Prime Minister

252 Dr.AbdullahMatuqal-Matuq Minister ofAwqaf and ReligiousAffairs, Kuwait

253 Prof.Dr.AbdullahYusufAl-Ghoneim Head of the Kuwaiti Centre for Research and Study

254 Dr.AdelAbdullahAl-Fallah

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51

Undersecretary of the Ministry of ReligiousAffairs

255 Dr.MohamedAbdulGhaffarAl-Sharif Secretary-General, Secretariat General of ReligiousAffairs

256 Dr.MuhammadAbdAllah JafarAl-Sharif Undersecretary ofWaqf Foundation

257 Dr.KhaledMadhkourAbdallahMadhkour Professor, Faculty of Shariah, University of Kuwait

258 Mr.MutlaqRashedAl-Qarawi

259 ShaykhDr. Ajil Jassimal-Nashami Professor, Faculty of Shariah, University of Kuwait

260 Dr.AhmadRajai al-Jundi Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, Kuwait

kyrgyz republic

261 H.E.Mr.DastanSarygulov Secretary of State

republic of lebanon

262 H.E.Mr.FouadSinoura Prime Minister

263 Prof.Dr.HishamNashabeh Chairman of the Board of Higher EducationDean of Education at MakassedAssociation

264 Al-SayyidMuhammadHusaynFadlallah fatwa

265 ShaykhMuhammadRashidQabbani Grand Mufti, Republic of Lebanon (Mufti of the SunniMuslims)

266 Prof.Dr.HaniFahs Member of the Higher Shii Council

267 ShaykhAbdullahal-Harari fatwa Head of the Habashi Order

268 Prof.Dr.RidwanAl-Sayyid Faculty of Humanities, Lebanese University;Editor-in-Chief,Al-Ijtihad Magazine

269 Prof.MuhammadAl-Sammak Secretary-General of the National Council for Islamic-Christian Dialogue; Secretary-General for the IslamicSpiritual Summit

270 JafariQadiShaykhAsadAllahAl-Harashi Higher Islamic Shii Council

271 ShaykhKhalilAl-Mays Mufti of Zahleh andWestern Beqa

272 ShaykhAbdAl-EmirQublan Deputy Head of the Higher Shii Counci

273 Prof.Dr.ZakariyyaAbdAl-RazzaqAl-Misri *ImamAl-Awzai University

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53

274 Prof.Dr.AhmadAl-Sahmarani *ImamAl-Awzai University

275 Dr.Muhammad Assaf

276 Dr.AsadAl-Sahmarani

277 ShaykhAbdAl-Naser Jabri

278 ShaykhJamilMuhammadHusseini fatwa

279 Mr.HasanFarhat

great socialist peoples libyan arab jamahiriya

280 H.E.Mr.AbdelRahmanMohamedShalqam Minister of ForeignAffairs

281 Prof. IbrahimAliAbuAl-QasimAl-Rabu Secretary of the Office of Conferences, InternationalIslamic Propagation Society

282 Dr.Al-UjailiFarhatAl-Miri Official for Dialogue in the International Islamic PopularLeadership

283 Dr.MuhammadAl-Ziyadi President, International Islamic Call University

284 Prof.Dr.HamzahAbuFaris *Al-Fatih University

285 Mr.AbdAl-SalamMuhammadAl-SharifAl-Alim *Al-Fatih University

macedonia

286 Mr.RufatSherifi

malaysia

287 H.E.Dato SeriAbdullahbinHajiAhmadBadawi Prime Minister

288 Dr.Anwar Ibrahim Former Deputy Prime Minister

289 DatoDr.AbdulHamidOthmanMinister in the Office of the Prime Minister

290 Prof.Dr.KamalHasan President, Islamic International University, Kuala Lumpur

291 Prof.Dr.MohammadHashimKamali Dean of the International Institute of IslamicThoughtand Civilisation

292 Mr.ShahidanKasemFirst Minister of Perlis State, Malaysia

293 Mr.Khayri JamalAl-Din Deputy Chairman for theYouth Sector, the United MalaysNational Organisation

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signatories

55

294 Dr.SalihQadirKarimAl-Zanki *International Islamic University

maldives

295 H.E.Mr.MaumoonAbdulGayoom President

296 Dr.MahmudAl-Shawqi Minister of Education

297 ShaykhMohamedRasheedIbrahim President of the Supreme Council for IslamicAffairs

republic of mali

298 H.E.Mr.AmadouToumaniToure President

299 Mr.SidiMohamedYoussoufDjire General President of the Islamic Foundation forProduction

islamic republic of mauritania

300 H.E.Mr.AlOuldMohamedFal President

301 H.E.ShaykhAbdallahBinBayyah fatwa FormerVice President of Mauritania;Vice President of theInternational Union of Muslim Scholars

302 Mr.Al-HajjWuldAl-HajiAhmad Advisor to the Minister of Education and IslamicGuidance

303 Mr.CheikhnaBinBayyah

mauritius

304 ShaykhGhulamMuhammad Chairman and Secretary General of the Blue CrescentSociety

moldova

305 Mr.AbdulraheemAljabari

kingdom of morocco

306 H.M.KingMohammedVI 307 Prof.Dr.AbbasAl-Jarari

Advisor to HM the King

308 Prof.Dr.AbdAl-HadiBuTalib FormerAdvisor to HM the King

309 Amb.Al-MakkiKawan Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Kuwait,representing Dr.AhmadAl-Tawfiq,Minister of ReligiousAffairs, Kingdom of Morocco

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310 Prof.Dr.AbdelhadiAl-Tazi Fellow of the Royal MoroccanAcademy; FormerAmbassador

311 Prof.Dr.MohammadFaroukAl-Nabhan Former Director of DarAl-HadithAl-Hasaniyya

312 Prof.Dr.AhmadShawqiBenbin Director of the Hasaniyya Library

313 Dr.HamdatiChbihannaMalainine Member, Supreme Constitutional Council;President, Regional Scientic Council,Al-Qunaitra

314 Prof.Dr.NajatAl-Marini Department ofArabic Language, MohammedVUniversity

315 Dr.AbdulFilaliAnsary Director, Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations,Aga Khan University

316 Dr.Abdel-KabeerAl-Madghari Former Minister ofWaqf and IslamicAffairs

317 Dr.MaryamAyatAhmad

318 Mr.MuhammadAl-Amin

319 Mr.MuhammadTullabi

320 Dr.SadAl-DinAl-Uthmani

republic of mozambique

321 H.E.Mr.ArisAli Minister of Education and Culture

the netherlands

322 Mr.ZakariaHamidi Director, New Horizon

republic of niger

323 H.E.Mr.HamaAmadou Prime Minister

federal republic of nigeria

324 H.E.MrIbrahimMousaKazawari Ambassador in Riyadh

325 H.H.PrinceHajiAdoBayero Emir of Kano

326 Mr.SulaymanOsho Secretary General of the Islamic Conference forAfrica

327 Dr.AhmadLimu Head of the Organization of the Islamic Endowment forEducation and Guidance

328 Dr.Al-KhidrAbdAl-BaqiMuhammad *Researcher andWriter

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59

norway

329 Mr.BrahimBelkilani Journalist, ITRI

330 Dr.LenaLarsen Coordinator,The Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religionor Belief, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, Uni. ofOslo

sultanate of oman

331 H.H.AlSyedAsaadbinTareqAlSaid Special Envoy of the Sultan

332 ShaykhAhmadbinHamadAl-Khalili fatwa Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman

333 ShaykhAhmadbinSaudAl-Siyabi General Secretary in the Office of the Grand Mufti

334 Dr.AbdAllahMubarakAl-Shanfari University Professor, University of Dhofar

335 ShaykhDr.KahlanbinNahbanAl-Kharusi * JurisprudentialAdvisor in the Ofce for the Issuance ofFatwas

336 Mr.AflahbinAhmadAl-Khalili *Researcher in the Ofce for the Issuance of Fatwas

337 AbdAl-LatifAl-Humaym

republic of pakistan

338 H.E.GeneralPervezMusharraf President

339 H.E.AmbassadorMuhammadAslamAmbassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Kuwaitrepresenting Dr. Muhammad IjazAl-Haqq, Minister ofReligiousAffairs, Islamic Republic of Pakistan

340 ShaykhMuftiMuhammadTaqiUthmani fatwa Deputy Chairman, Islamic Fiqh Council, Jeddah;Vice President, Dar al-Ulum, Karachi

341 ShaykhDr.MuhammadTahirul-Qadri Director General, Centre for Islamic Research, Islamabad

342 Prof.Dr.Zafar IshaqAnsari Director General, Centre for Islamic Research, Islamabad

343 Dr.RezaShah-Kazemi Researcher and Islamic Intellectual

344 H.E.AmbassadorArifKamal Ambassador of the Republic of Pakistan to the HashemiteKingdom of Jordan

345 H.E.Prof. Dr.MahmoudAhmadGhazi President of the Islamic University, Islamabad;Former Minister of ReligiousAffairs, Pakistan

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61

state of palestine

346 H.E.Mr.AhmedQorei Prime Minister

347 ShaykhDr. IkrimahSabri Grand Mufti of Jerusalem andAll of Palestine;Imam of the BlessedAl-Aqsa Mosque

348 ShaykhTaysirRajabAl-Tamimi Chief Justice of Palestine

349 Dr.MustafaMahmudYusufAbuSuway Lecturer in the Department of Philosophyand Islamic Studies inAl-Quds University

350 Dr.MuhammadAliAl-Salibi *Al-Najah University

351 Dr.MarwanAliAl-Qaddumi *Al-Najah University

poland

352 Dr.Samir Ismail

portugal

353 Mr.AbdoolMagidVakil Chairman, Banco Efisa

354 Mr.SohailNakhooda Editor-in-Chief, Islamica Magazine

qatar

355 H.E.ShaykhHamadbin JassemAlThani First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of ForeignAffairs

356 Prof.Dr. ShaykhYusufAl-Qaradawi fatwa Director of the Sunna and Sira Council;Vice Presidentof the International Union of Muslim Scholars

357 ShaykhThaqil binSayerZaydAl-Shammari Justice, Court of Cassation, Member of the SupremeJudicial Council

358 Prof.Dr.AishaAl-Manai Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Law, University of Qatar

359 ShaykhAbdAl-RahmanbinAbdAllahbinZaydAlMahmud Member of Prominent Persons Committee,Organization of the Islamic Conference

360 Dr.AliMuhyiAl-DinQaradaghi Professor, Faculty of Shariah, University of Qatar

361 Dr.AliAhmadAl-Salus Professor, Faculty of Shariah, University of Qatar

362 ShaykhMohammadHajYusufAhmad Imam, Doha Mosque

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signatories

63

russian federation

363 ShaykhRawiAynAl-Din Mufti; Head of the Muslim ReligiousAdministration

364 Prof.Dr. SaidHibatullahKamilev Director, Moscow Institute of Islamic Civilisation

365 Dr.MuradMurtazein President, Islamic University, Moscow

366 Mr.RushanAbassoof Director of ExternalAffairs, Dept. of Council of Muftis,Russia

367 Mr.YakupovValiulla Assistant to the Chief Mufti ofTatarstan

kingdom of saudi arabia

368 H.M.KingAbdullahbinAbdelAzizAlSaud King of SaudiArabia; Custodian of theTwo Holy Mosques

369 Dr.AbdAl-AzizbinUthmanAl-Touaijiri Director General,The Islamic Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization (ISESCO)

370 H.E.ShaykhAbdAllahSulaymanbinMani Member, Council of Senior Ulama of SaudiArabia

371 Dr.HassanbinMohamedSafar Professor, Islamic Studies Department, Faculty ofHumanities KingAbdulaziz University, Jeddah

372 Mr.AbobakrAbdelfatah

373 ShaykhAliBaddahdah

374 Dr.SalihAl-Wuhaibi

375 Shaykh AbdAllahYahya

376 Mr.NabilAbdAl-IlahNassif Assistant to the President forAssistanceAffairsIslamic Development Bank, Jeddah

377 Dr.MuhammadJabrAl-Alfi Professor, Higher Judiciary Institute, Departmentof Comparative Jurisprudence, Riyadh

378 Dr.MuhammadbinYahyabinHasanAl-Najimi Associate Professor, King Fahd Defence College

379 Dr.AhmadAbdal-AlimAbdAl-Latif Researcher, Department of Studies,The InternationalIslamic FiqhAcademy, Jeddah

380 Dr.AbdAl-QahirQamar Researcher, Department of Studies,The InternationalIslamic FiqhAcademy, Jeddah

381 Shaykhal-HabibMuhammadbinAbdurrahmanal-Saqqaf

382 Dr.MohamedAliAl-Bar King Fahd Centre for Medical Research

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signatories

65

republic of senegal

383 H.E.Mr.AbdoulayeWade President

384 Mr.Al-HajjMustafaSisi SpecialAdvisor to the President of Senegal

385 Prof.AbdallahBah President of the Union of Volunteers in Islamic Educationand Culture

386 Prof.AbadirTiyam University Press and President of the National Society,Dakar

387 Prof.AhmadMukhtarEmbo Former Director General, UNESCO, Paris

388 Prof.RohanMbaye Director, Islamic Institute, Dakar

republic of sierra leone

389 H.E.AlhajiDr.AhmadTejanKabbah President

republic of singapore

390 Dr.YaqubIbrahim Minister of the Environment andWater Resources, andMuslimAffairs

republic of somalia

391 H.E.Mr.AbdullahYoussefAhmed President

republic of south africa

392 ShaykhIbrahimGabriels Head of SouthAfrican Ulama

spain

393 Mr.MansurEscudero Spanish Islamic Commission

394 Mr.AliBoussaid Islamic League for Dialogue and Conviviality

republic of sudan

395 H.E.GeneralOmarHassanAlBashir President

396 AbdAl-RahmanSawarAl-Dhahab Former President of the Republic of Sudan

397 Al-ImamAl-SadiqAl-Mahdi Former Prime Minister of Sudan, Head ofAnsar Movement

398 Dr. IsamAhmadAl-Bashir Minister of Guidance and ReligiousAffairs

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signatories

67

399 Mr.TariqAliBakhit Director in the General Secretariat and Head of Culturaland IslamicThought Committee, Khartoum

400 Prof.Dr. Izz al-DinUmarMusa Lecturer in the Department of History, Malik SaudUniversity, Riyadh

401 Dr.MuhammadMahjubHarun Journalist and University Professor, University of Khartoum

402 Dr.AhmadAliAl-Imam Advisor to the Sudanese President

403 Dr.Mustafa UthmanIsmail Former Foreign Minister of SudanSpecial Envoy of the Secretary General of theArab League

404 Dr. IbrahimAhmadUthman Secretary General, Supreme Judiciary Council

405 Dr.AhmadKhaledBabacar Secretary General of the Islamic FiqhAcademy of Sudan

sweden

406 Mr.MahmoudKhalfiDriri

switzerland

407 Prof.TariqRamadan Islamic intellectual

syrian arab republic

408 H.E.Mr.FaroukAl-Sharaa Minister of ForeignAffairs

409 ShaykhDr.AhmadBadrHasoun Grand Mufti of the SyrianArab Republic

410 Prof.Dr.MuhammadSaidRamadanAl-Buti Head of the Religion Department, Faculty of Law,University of Damascus

411 Prof.Dr. ShaykhWahbaMustafaAl-Zuhayli Head of Department of Islamic Jurisprudence and itsSchools, Islamic Law Faculty, Damascus University

412 Dr.SalahAl-DinAhmadKuftaro Director General, ShaykhAhmad KuftaroAcademyand Islamic Intellectual

413 Dr.MuhammadTawfiqSaidAl-Buti Professor of Shariah at Damascus University

414 Dr.MahmudAl-Sayyid Academic Researcher in the Centre of Islamic Studies,School of Oriental andAfrican Studies, University ofLondon

415 ShaykhAbdallahAdhami Islamic missionary and scholar

416 Dr.MuhammadHabash

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signatories

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417 Dr.MuhammadAbdal-Latif Salehal-Farfur Secretary General, International ScienticAcademy

418 Prof.Dr.AbdAl-SattarAbuGhuddah President of the United Shariah Council of the BarakaGroup, Jeddah

republic of tajikistan

419 H.E.Mr. ImamAlyRahmanov President

thailand

420 Mr.WanMuhammadNurMatha Advisor to the Prime Minister

421 Amb.WiboonKhusakul Ambassador ofThailand in Baghdad

republic of togo

422 H.E.Mr.ZarifouAyva Minister of ForeignAffairs

republic of tunisia

423 Mr.MohamedAl-Ghanousi Prime Minister

424 Prof.Dr.Al-HadiAl-Bakkoush Former Prime Minister ofTunisia

425 Dr.AbuBakerAl-Akhzuri Minister of ReligiousAffairs

426 Prof.Dr.AliAl-Shabi Chairman of the Higher Islamic Council;Former Minister of IslamicAffairs

427 Prof. IbrahimChabbouh Advisor to the Higher Chairman of theAal al-BaytInstitute for IslamicThought; Director of theAal al-BaytInstitute for IslamicThought

428 ShaykhDr.MohammadAlHabib ibnAlKhojah Secretary-General, Int. Islamic Fiqh Council, Jeddah

429 Prof.Dr.MuhammadAl-BashirAl-Buzaydi Director of the Higher Institute for the Fundamentals ofReligion, Zaytuna University

430 Mr.AhmadAl-Ujaymi Advisor in the Ofce of the Secretary General of theOrganization of the Islamic Conference

431 ShaykhDr.RachidGhannouchi Leader of Ennada

432 Prof.HabibShaybub Writer and Historian

433 Dr.AmirAl-Zamali Advisor of IslamicWorldAffairs, InternationalCommittee for the Red Cross

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signatories

71

434 Dr.ShaykhMohieddineGadi The Higher Islamic Council,Tunis

435 Dr.TaiebSalama The Higher Islamic Council,Tunis

republic of turkey

436 H.E.Mr.BulentArinc President of the GrandTurkishAssembly

437 Prof.Dr.Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu Secretary-General, Organisation of the IslamicConference

438 H.E.Prof.Dr.MehmetAydin Minister of State, Government ofTurkey

439 Prof.Dr.AliBardakoglu Head of ReligiousAffairs Directorate

440 Prof.Dr.AliAuzakHead of the Endowment for Islamic Scientific Studies,Istanbul

441 Prof.Dr.Mualla Saljuq Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Law,Ankara

442 Prof.Dr.Mustafaagrici Grand Mufti of Istanbul and Professor of IslamicPhilosophy

443 Prof. IbrahimKafiDnmez Professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at the University ofMarmara

444 Dr.Ali IhsanBala *YzncYil University

445 Mr.UfukGken Advisor to the Secretary General of the OIC

446 Mr.MustafaAkyol Writer and journalist

447 Dr.MuhammetArui Turkish Religious Endownment (DiyanetVakfi)

448 Prof.Dr.AkifAydin Marmara University

449 Mr.KurtuluAykan 450 Dr.SavasBarin

451 Ms.SelinBlme Marmara University

452 Prof.AliDere ForeignAffairs Department, Presidency of ReligiousAffairs,Ankara

453 Mr.MuammerDumanli

454 Mr.AhmetHakan

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signatories

73

455 Dr. IbrahimKalin Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies, College of the HolyCross, USA; Director, SETAFoundation,Ankara

456 Prof.RecepKaymakcan Assistant Professor of Religious Education, SakaryaUniversity

457 H.E.AmbassadorFazliKesmir CounsellorTurkish Embassy and PermanentRepresentative ofTurkey to FAO, Rome

458 Dr.AbdlhamidKirmizi

459 Mr.FehmiKoru Journalist,Yeni Safak

460 Dr.AliKse Lecturer, Faculty ofTheology, Marmara University

461 Mr.TalhaKse

462 Prof.TalipKukcan Centre for Islamic Studies, Istanbul

463 AmbassadormrOrhun OCSE Personal Representative on CombatingIslamophobia

464 Mr.Tahazhan

465 Prof.MehmetPaaci Faculty ofTheology,Ankara University

466 Mr.Ali Sarikaya President, Islamic ConferenceYouth Forum for Dialogueand Cooperation

467 Prof.BlentSenay Professor of Comparative Religion, Uludag University,Bursa

468 Dr.NazifeSisman

469 Dr. IsmailTaspinar Faculty ofTheology, Marmara University

470 Mr.AhmetSelimTekelioglu SETA,Anakara

471 Dr.NuriTinaz Centre for Islamic Studies, Istanbul

472 Mrs.mareYazar

473 ProfessorAliMuratYel Lecturer in Sociology andAnthropology, Fatih University

turkmenistan

474 H.E.Mr.RashidMirdov Minister of ForeignAffairs

ukraine

475 Mufti ShaykhAhmadTamim Mufti of Ukraine

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signatories

75

uganda

476 Mr.AnasAbdunnoorKalissa Director of Research and Shariah

united arab emirates

477 H.H.ShaykhKhalifabinZayedAlNahyan President

478 H.H.AmbassadorNasirbinAbdAllahbinHamdan

479 Mr.Ali binAl-SayyidAbdAl-RahmanAl-Hashim Advisor to the President for Judiciary and ReligiousAffairs

480 ShaykhMuhammadAl-Banani Judge in the Supreme Federal Court

481 Dr.SalehbinZabinAl-Marzuqi Secretary-General, International Islamic FiqhAcademy,Jeddah

482 MuhammadAbdulrahimSultanAl-Ulama Deputy-Dean of Scientific ResearchAffairs, UnitedArabEmirates University

483 Dr.HamadbinAl-SheikhAhmadAl-Chibani Secretary-General, Bureau for IslamicAffairs andCharitableWorks, Dubai

484 ShaykhMansur Etahal-Minhali Director, IslamicAffairs andAwqaf

485 Dr.AhmadAbdulAzizAl-Haddad Chief Mufti, Bureau of IslamicAffairs and CharitableWorks, Dubai

486 ShaykhTalibMuhammadAl-Shehi Preacher, Ministry of Justice and IslamicAffairs

487 Dr.MahmudAhmadAbuLayl Professor, Faculty of Shariah,Al-Ain University

488 Dr.KhalidSulaymanAl-Fahdawi

489 Dr.AliMuhammadUjla

490 Dr.MuhammadAl-Zahili Dean, Faculty of Shariah, University of Sharjah

united kingdom

491 Dr.AbbasMahajarani Member of the ImamAl-Khoei Benevolent Foundation

492 Dr.HassanShamsiBasha Expert,The International Islamic FiqhAcademy, Jeddah

493 Mr.ShamsVellani Director, Special Studies,The Institute of Ismaili Studies

494 Dr.FarhadDaftary Associate Director,The Institute of Ismaili Studies

495 ShaykhYusuf Islam Islamic Missionary

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signatories

77

496 Dr.FuadNahdi Editor-in-Chief, Q-News International

497 ShaykhWanisAl-Mabrouk *Representative, Union of Muslim Organisations of UK&EIRE

498 Mr.SharifBanna Co-Founder,Awakening Records;President, Union of Muslim Students in the UK

499 Mr.SamiYusuf Islamic singer

500 MohamedAbdulAziz Director, Faithwise

501 Dr.ManazirAhsan Director,The Islamic Foundation

502 Mr.KhurshidAhmed British Muslim Forum (BMF)

503 Mrs.FareenaAlam Editor, Q-News International

504 Dr.AnasShaikh-Ali Director, International Institute of IslamicThought,London

505 Mr.AhmedAl-Rawi President, Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe

506 Mr. IsmailAmla

507 Mr. IqbalAsaria Finance Director, Muslim Council of Britain

508 Dr.MehmetAsutay Department of Economics, Durham University

509 Mr.Yasarolak Counsellor forTurkish ReligiousAffairs in London

510 Mr.SaidFerjani MuslimAssociation of Britain

511 Dr.SophieGilliat-Ray Cardiff University

512 Mr.AbdelRahmanHelbawy

513 Mr.DilwarHussain The Islamic Foundation

514 Mrs. Sarah Joseph Editor, Emel Magazine

515 Mr.WakkasKhan President, FOSIS

516 Mr.MustafaKker Chief Editor, Haber Newspapers (Turkish)

517 Ms.MaleihaMalik Department of Law, Kings College

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signatories

79

518 Ms.UnaizaMalik Muslim Council of Britain

519 Mr.AhmedSheikhMohamed

520 Dr.MohamedMukadam Association of Muslim Schools

521 Mr.AhmedMusawi

522 Prof.FarhanNizami Director, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

523 Mr.HabiburRahman

524 Sir Iqbal Sacranie Former Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain

525 ShaykhHaythamTamim Utrujj Institute

526 Mr.AhmedVersi Editor,The Muslim News

527 Mr.ShaukatWarraich Community leader

528 ShaykhAbdalHakimMurad /TimWinter Lecturer, University of Cambridge

529 Mr.HaiderAli Book distributor

united states of america

530 H.E.Prof.Dr. SeyyedHosseinNasr Author and Professor of Islamic Studies at the GeorgeWashington University

531 ShaykhHamzaYusufHanson President of the Zaytuna Institute

532 ShaykhFaisalAbdurRauf Imam of NewYork City Central Mosque

533 Prof.Dr. IngridMattson Professor of Islamic Studies, Hartford Seminary;President of the Islamic Society of NorthAmerica (ISNA)

534 Prof.Dr. SuleimanAbdallahSchleifer Director Emeritus of theAdham Center forTelevisionJournalism

535 Mr.NihadAwad Executive Director, Council onAmerican-IslamicRelations

536 ShaykhNuhHaMimKeller Islamic Missionary and Intellectual;Fellow of theAal al-Bayt Institute for IslamicThought

537 SheikhSuhaibD.Webb Islamic Missionary

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signatories

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538 Dr.CanerDagli SpecialAdvisor for InterfaithAffairs, Royal HashemiteCourt of Jordan; Professor of Islamic Studies, RoanokeCollege, USA

539 Prof. JamesMorris Univesity of Exeter

540 Mr.RadwanAl-Masmudi

541 Prof. JosephLumbard Former SpecialAssistant to H.M. KingAbdullah II forInterfaithAffairs

republic of uzbekistan

542 H.E.Mr.ShawkatSirdayev Prime Minister

543 ShaykhMuhammadAl-SadiqMuhammadYusuf Grand Mufti of the Republic

544 Prof.YusufovOrtoqbek Islamic Intellectual

republic of yemen

545 H.E.GeneralAliAbdullahSaleh President

546 ShaykhMuhammadbinMuhammadIsmailAl-Mansur fatwa

547 ShaykhHumudbin Abbas al-Muayyad fatwa

548 ShaykhIbrahimbinMuhammadAl-Wazir fatwa Secretary General of the Islamic Unification andWorksMovement

549 ShaykhHabib UmarbinMuhammadbinSalimbinHafiz Principal, Dar al-Mustafa,Tarim

550 ShaykhAl-HabibAl-Jifri Islamic Missionary and Intellectual

551 ShaykhMuhammadAbduhUmar Head, Bureau of Direction and Guidance, PermanentCommittee of the General Peoples Conference

552 Prof.Dr.HusaynAl-Umari Member of the Consultative Committee, Member of theUNESCO Executive Committee; Professor of ModernHistory, University of Sanaa

83

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.Howdoes Islam function?Islam has no central authority or church. It has beenheld together over the centuries and generations, acrossgeographic, juridical and intellectual diversity, by textsand by established, authoritative interpretations ofthese textsstarting with the Holy Quran itself. Mis-interpretation of these texts, and misunderstanding ofthe methodologies of their interpretation can have verydangerous consequences and can lead to an entirely dif-ferent civilization from that of traditional orthodoxIslam.

2.What are the greatest challenges facing Islam today?Islam today as a religion faces many challenges andproblems. Perhaps one of the greatest of these is misun-derstanding and confusion about the true nature of thereligion of Islam amongst Muslims and non-Muslimsalike.This misunderstanding has led to erroneous inter-pretations of Islamic texts and thus illegitimate

religious edicts (fatwas) by people who are intellectuallyand morally unqualied to make religious edicts. Cor-recting this situation through proper understanding ofthe traditional Islamic texts in all their diversity andcomplexity is thus of profound importance to thefuture of Islam and Muslims.

3.What isTheAmmanMessage?The Amman Message started as a simple but detailedstatement issued in Ramadan 1425 ah / November 2004ce inAmman, Jordan by KingAbdullah II of Jordan andsenior Islamic scholars. It described what Islam is andwhat it is not, and what actions represent it and whatactions do not. Its goal was to clarify to the modernworld the true nature of Islamand the nature of true Islam. Itis a message of devotion to God, love of the neighbor,goodwill, moderation and peace.

4.What areTheThreePoints ofTheAmmanMessage?In order to give more religious authority to theAmmanMessage and in order to tackle the root problem of mis-interpretation in Islam, in 2005 King Abdullah II sentthe following three critical questions to 24 of the mostsenior religious scholars from all around the world rep-resenting all the branches and schools of Islam:

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1. Who is aMuslim?;2. Is it permissible todeclare someoneanapostate (takfir)?; and

3. Whohas the right toundertake issuingfatwas (legal rulings)?

Based on the fatwas provided by these great scholars(who included the Shaykh Al-Azhar; Ayatollah Sistaniand Sheikh Qaradawi), in July 2005 ce, King AbdullahII of Jordan convened an international Islamic confer-ence of 200 of the worlds leading Islamic scholars orUlama) from 50 countries. In Amman, the scholarsunanimously issued a ruling on three fundamentalissues (which became known as the Three Points of theAmmanMessage):

1. They specically recognized the validity of all 8Mathhabs (legal schools) of Sunni, Shia and IbadhiIslam; of traditional Islamic Theology (Asharism);of Islamic Mysticism (Susm), and of true Salafithought, and came to a precise denition of who is aMuslim.

2. Based upon this denition they forbade takfir (dec-larations of apostasy) between Muslims.

3. Based upon the Mathahib they set forth the subjec-tive and objective preconditions for the issuing offatwas, thereby exposing ignorant and illegitimateedicts in the name of Islam.

These Three Points were then unanimously adopted bythe Islamic Worlds political and temporal leadershipsat the Organization of the Islamic Conference summitat Mecca in December 2005. And over a period of oneyear from July 2005 to July 2006, the Three Points werealso unanimously adopted by six other internationalIslamic scholarly assemblies, culminating with theInternational Islamic FiqhAcademyof Jeddah (the IslamicWorlds leading juridical body), in July 2006. In total,over 500 leading Muslim scholars worldwideas can beseen online (at www.ammanmessage.com)unani-mously endorsed the Amman Message and its ThreePoints.

5.Why is it so Important?The signed, universal Islamic Consensus on theAmmanMessage and itsThreePoints is of the greatest importancebecause it amounts to a historical, universal and unani-mous religious and political consensus (ijma) of theUmmah (nation) of Islam in our day, and a consolidation

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of traditional, orthodox Islam. The signicance of thisis: (1) that it is the rst time in over a thousand years thattheUmmah has formally and specically come to such apluralistic mutual inter-recognition; (2) that such arecognition is religiously legally binding on Muslimssince the Prophet (may peace and blessings be uponhim) said: My Ummah will not agree upon an error (IbnMajah, Sunan, Kitab al-Fitan, Hadith no.4085), and (3)that it addresses one of the most critical problems fac-ing Muslims today: lack of agreement about whatconstitutes Islam, and thus lack of agreement aboutwho is a Muslim and what is truly Islamic.

6. Is the content of theAmmanMessagesomething new in Islam?No. There is nothing essentially new in theAmmanMes-sage, nor could there be for it to be truly authentic, forIslam is a religion revealed by God, and therefore notchangeable by man.TheAmmanMessage is merely a con-crete restatement and crystallization of the commonprinciples of traditional, orthodox, moderate Islamin all its traditional schools of thought and lawtheIslam to which over the vast, overwhelming majority ofthe worlds approximately 1.4billion Muslims belong.

7.What does Amman have to dowith the Message?Nothing. The name Amman merely comes from thefact that the Message was rst launched in Jordan by thecountrys king and scholars. The Message is a universalpan-Islamic one, as is seen in its acceptance by Muslimsauthorities from every school of thought and of law inIslam, and in its ratication by Muslims from everycountry and major Muslim community in theworld.

8.Will it resolve all of Islams problems?Will it help?No, the Amman Message will not resolve all of Islamsproblems: no religion can be without problems on theworldly plane, especially in the modern age. The Econo-mist (June 28th, 2007) argues that:This much is true: anyof the Muslims who are drawn to jihadist violence, or tostrident forms of political Islam, are indifferent to, orignorant of, the nuances of theology; that makes themsusceptible to amateur fatwas. But as a French scholar,Olivier Roy, points out, it doesnt follow that such peo-plewhen presented with sophisticated religiousargumentswould change their mind. In many cases,they have a general aversion to the idea of elaborate the-ology.

However, what proper awareness, education andunderstanding of the Amman Message and its Three

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Points, might well do, GodWilling, is prevent99.99% ofMuslims from being inuenced by illegitimate fatwasand sliding into takfir and terrorism, as a visceral over-reaction to poverty, injustice and mistakes in Westernforeign policy.After all, God says in the Holy Quran:

O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for God inequity, and let not hatred of anypeoplemake you swervefrom justice.Deal justly, that is nearer to piety.Observeyour duty to God. Lo! God is Informed of what ye do.(Al-Maidah, 5:8)

Finally, proper awareness of The Amman Message, mayalso, by exposing the illegitimate opinions of radicalfundamentalists and terrorists from the point of view oftrue Islam, help in preventing calls in the West for hos-tility against Muslims as such. As George Yeo, theForeign Minister of Singapore, declared in the 60thSession of the U.N. General Assembly (about theAmman Message): Without this clarication, the waragainst terrorism would be much harder to ght. Itthus may help to prevent a wider conict between theover 55% of the worlds population: approximately 2.1billion Christians and 1.4billion Muslims

9.What could itmean for Islams relationswithnon-Muslims?TheAmmanMessage Initiative is good news not only forMuslims, for whom it provides a basis for unity and asolution to inghting, but also for all non-Muslims. For,in safeguarding of the basic principles, texts and legalmethodologies of Islam, theAmmanMessage necessarilymeans inherently preserving traditional Islams internalchecks and balances. It thus assures balanced Islamicsolutions for essential issues like human rights; womensrights; freedom of religion; legitimate jihad; good citi-zenship of Muslims in non-Muslim countries, and justand democratic government, all key issues that areessential to world peace and harmony.

10.What is the next step?In order that Amman Message not remain merely a his-torical agreement on basic principles, various stepsare being taken to introduce it through pragmatic andinstitutional means, such as: (1) inter-Islamic treaties;(2) national and international legislation using theThree Points of the Amman Message to dene Islamand forbid takfir; (3) the use of publishing and the multi-media in all their aspects to spread the AmmanMessage; (4) instituting the teaching of the Amman

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Message in school curricula and university coursesworldwide; and (5) making it part of the training ofmosque Imams and making it included in their sermons.

11.What can you do?Whoever you are, and wherever you live, you canhelp by adding your voice to this unique and historicinternational Islamic consensus. Please visit www.ammanmessage.com, where you can read more aboutthe Amman Message and nd many useful documentsand links. Under the button saying: Click here to endorsetheAmmanMessage (or on the automatic pop-up) you canadd your name to the list of people worldwide who haveendorsed and supported the three points. Your under-standing of the Amman Message is in itself importantgoal. Your endorsement of the Amman Message is oneway to contribute towards peace in the world.

hrh prince ghazi bin muhammadChairman of theAmmanMessageCommittee

July 22nd, 2007.

Andpraise be toGod, theLord of theworlds

isbn 978-9957-428-30-3

english series - book 1