the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...
the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...
the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...
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Sheikh Ali Goma'a is <strong>the</strong> Grand Mufti of <strong>the</strong> Arab<br />
Republic of Egypt. He is <strong>the</strong> second highest Sunni<br />
authority in Egypt after Sheikh Tantawi and one of<br />
<strong>the</strong> fore<strong>most</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> scholars in <strong>the</strong> world. Goma'a<br />
is responsible for <strong>the</strong> Dar al Ifta al Masriyyah, a<br />
leading institute for <strong>Islamic</strong> legal research, and <strong>the</strong><br />
legal arm of <strong>the</strong> Egyptian Ministry of Justice, which<br />
is responsible for passing official religious rulings.<br />
Egypt's Weight in <strong>Islamic</strong> Scholarship<br />
Goma'a's scholarly influence is derived from his position at <strong>the</strong> center of many of <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong><br />
significant institutions of <strong>Islamic</strong> law in <strong>the</strong> world. Before becoming Grand Mufti, Goma'a<br />
was a professor of jurisprudence at Al Azhar University—<strong>the</strong> second oldest university<br />
in <strong>the</strong> world, founded in 975 CE—and served as a member of <strong>the</strong> Fatwa Council. He<br />
is currently a member of <strong>the</strong> International <strong>Islamic</strong> Fiqh Academy, <strong>the</strong> highest institute<br />
of <strong>Islamic</strong> law of <strong>the</strong> Organization of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> Conference—an intergovernmental<br />
organization for Muslim-majority countries.<br />
Personal Popularity<br />
Goma'a has become incredibly popular as a mufti since he began to appear on popular<br />
broadcast and satellite television. Part of his appeal is due to <strong>the</strong> revival of <strong>the</strong> old <strong>Islamic</strong><br />
practice of informal 'knowledge circles' at <strong>the</strong> Al Azhar Mosque, and very well attended<br />
Q&A sessions after his Friday sermons at <strong>the</strong> Sultan Hasan Mosque, where Goma'a makes<br />
a point of taking on anyone who tries to simplify or distort <strong>Islamic</strong> teachings without<br />
knowledge of its traditions. This has made him extremely popular with those who are<br />
uncomfortable with extremism.<br />
Popularized and Simplified Fatwas<br />
Goma'a has immense legal influence through his advocacy of <strong>Islamic</strong> legal rulings (fatwa).<br />
Since he was appointed Grand Mufti of Egypt in 2003, Goma'a has modernized <strong>the</strong> process<br />
of issuing fatwas in Egypt. He has done this by overhauling <strong>the</strong> Dar al Ifta organization<br />
into a dynamic institution with worldwide reach, based on a fatwa council and a system<br />
of checks and balances. He has been forthright in his criticism of poorly thought-out<br />
fatwas calling those who make such rulings criminals.<br />
High-Tech Influence<br />
Goma'a has authored over 50 books, as well as hundreds of articles. He now uses <strong>the</strong><br />
Dar al Ifta to get his scholarly opinion out. His office issues some 5,000 fatwas a week,<br />
with official ones on important issues written by him and <strong>the</strong> routine ones dealt with<br />
via phone and <strong>the</strong> Internet by a team of subordinate muftis. He believes that respect for<br />
traditionalism is growing in <strong>the</strong> Muslim world, partly because of <strong>the</strong> immense demand<br />
for fatwas issued by his office.<br />
40<br />
10<br />
his eMinence sheikh dr ali goMa'a<br />
Grand Mufti of Egypt<br />
Country: Egypt<br />
Date of Birth: 3 March 1953<br />
Source of Influence: Scholarly,<br />
Political<br />
Influence: Legal authority for 77<br />
million Egyptians<br />
School of Thought: Traditional<br />
Sunni, Shafi'i