Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shaykh Ali Gomaa Responds to 6 Questions from Americans

Sheikh Ali Gomaa is the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt - the second highest religious position in the country, after the position of Sheikh al-Azhar, one of the most respected religious authorities in the entire Muslim world. As Grand Mufti, he oversees the premier institution in the Muslim world for religious legal direction, Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah. Since his appointment as Grand Mufti in 2003, he has become a leading advocate for moderation, and an outspoken critic of extremist ideologies, which he says are antithetical to Islam. 


1. What are the most misunderstood Islamic principles that cause alarm to the international community today?


2. Is there room for greater cooperation between Islamic scholars and experts on the one hand, and imams and other religious leaders in Muslim societies on the other?


3. How can ijtihad (or ongoing reevaluation in accordance with the principles of Islamic juristic reasoning) by religious leaders and academics help shift public opinion toward the real tradition of Islam and toward better relations between East and West?


4. To what extent can Muslim scholars in the West contribute to a better understanding of Islam’s principles all-round, especially Islamic sacred law or shari‘ah?


5. What lessons can Muslims learn from the challenges faced by scholars and experts in other religions such as Judaism, Hinduism and Christianity?


6. What role can individual ijtihad play in people’s lives without altering its specialized qualifications?


Read Shaykh Ali Gomaa's responses by clicking on the picture link below