Prof. Abbas Shouman, President of the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates and Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars, delivered a lecture titled “Jurisprudential Renewal: Its Fields and Controls” to 32 trainees and Fatwa researchers from Germany via video conference. This lecture was part of the “Preparing the Contemporary Mufti” course, organized by the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates in collaboration with al-Azhar International Training Academy.
At the beginning of the meeting, Prof. Abbas Shouman welcomed the participants and congratulated them on the anniversary of the Qibla conversion and the approaching holy month of Ramadan. He prayed to the Almighty to bless the Islamic nation with goodness and prosperity, to unite Muslims in harmony, and to grant them honor and dignity.
Notably, His Eminence stated: “The most important principles of jurisprudential renewal lie in its proper application within its designated fields and in accordance with the requirements of time, place, and circumstances. However, legal rulings established by definitive evidence in their essence do not change with shifts in time, place, or situation. Matters related to faith, the fundamentals of worship, and certain prohibitions are unanimously agreed upon by the scholars of the Ummah, leaving no room for dispute or renewal in these areas.”
Furthermore, his Eminence emphasized that renewal has been a continuous process since the time of the Prophet (PBUH), citing his saying: “At the beginning of every century, Allah will send someone to renew the religion for this Ummah.” This affirms that renewal is not a modern concept but a prophetic tradition. However, it is reserved for those qualified through scholarly expertise and applies only to matters that permit renewal—namely, jurisprudential branches rather than foundational principles—according to the rules established by accredited jurists.
Additionally, His Eminence highlighted certain irregularities in the discourse on renewal by non-specialists. He explained that some media outlets discuss this topic without a proper understanding of its scope and principles.
At the end of the meeting, Prof. Shouman answered the trainees’ questions and encouraged them to read Islamic heritage books. He emphasized the importance of being well-versed in religious and worldly sciences, as this broadens perspectives and sharpens the intellect.
