The interview was conducted in Cairo by Bassiouni Halawani

Sheikh Ibrahim Salih al-Husseini, Grand Mufti of Nigeria and a member of the Council of wise Muslims affirmed that the Islamic economy is the primary force for building economically and socially stable Islamic societies. It itself is the only one economic system which can build up a balanced human society which will realize Justice between Muslims and  others, and faces all forms of economic corruption and uses money and economic potential for the benefit of the whole society and not for the benefit of an individual or group.

The Mufti of Nigeria described Islamic banks as “an important factor of the Islamic economic methodology” and requested Muslims to have more confidence in these banks and in deal with them, stressing that it is the duty of a Muslim to support every sincere Islamic directions, whether in the field of economics or other fields.

He said: Islamic law provides realistic and ideal solutions to all problems that the Islamic world suffers from, and it’s the duty of Muslims to adopt Sharia as a source to solve their problems and deal with their crises; as the imported solutions have failed to deal with those problems.

This came in the dialogue that the “Islamic Economy” had with him during his recent visit to Cairo to participate in some Islamic activities.

Message from the Council of the Elders

You recently participated in the meetings of the Council of Muslim Elders in Cairo to respond to the waves of hostility that have escalated in the West against Islam and Muslims after the events in France, which condemned Muslims in all countries of the world. Has your voice reached the Western world? What are the means to confront the repercussions of the follies committed by extremists that cause tension in the relationship between Muslims and entire World?

Certainly, our anger reached all the peoples of the Western world, as we gathered in Al-Azhar Al-Sharif headed by Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Chairman of the Council of Elders. We discussed with logic and wisdom not with emotions. Council of elders expressed the anger of Muslim world against the racist western activities against Islam and its existence In the West, on the background of the bloody events in Paris, which killed 129 people and dozens of wounded, in a heinous crime that condemned Muslims everywhere, and we assured everyone near and far that terrorism has no religion or identity and it affects innocent people daily in our Islamic countries, just as it affects in some countries of the Western world, Muslims in the West should not be punished for a crime committed by criminal terrorists.

Violations against Muslims have taken place in many European countries during the past days, and the extremists in these countries committed the crime of burning the Qur’an and burning the Mosques. We affirm that the attacks that occur against Muslims, their establishments and Mosques are pure terrorism which we all reject and condemn it as we all rejected the paris crime. The head of Al-Azhar described in his statement in the opening session that: All what happened and is happening against Muslims is “fuel for terrorist thought” we suffer from. Therefore, Westerners should not respond to terrorism with similar terrorism, and those who claim civilization and progress are never expected to insult Muslims sanctities in full view of the world.

Manifestations of defects

In the beginning, I asked the Grand Mufti of Nigeria: From your point of view, what are the defects that you see in the world of Fatwa now?

He said: The most prominent thing that Muslim societies suffer now in the Fatwa arenas is the non-specialists and those who are not qualified for the Fatwa, and this daring intrude to the Fatwa arena has led to the mixing of the permissible and the forbidden in the minds of many people, and people resorting to non-specialists is something that the scholars of Fatwa have no way to block it, so he who bears the responsibility is the “questioner” who goes with his question to those who are not qualified to issue Fatwas. The media, including television stations, satellite channels, newspapers, websites, etc., is also responsible for that, because these influential media tools send the questions of the masses to people who are not qualified for Fatwas. They do so, perhaps out of ignorance and lack of knowledge, and some of them do so in bad goal in search of excitement, and all of this has created an unhealthy atmosphere, as the responsibility here is shared between the masses that accept certain people to ask them without making sure of their ability to do so, and media outlets that search for excitement and everything that is beneficial to them; they want it even if it is outside the border of religion. Therefore, we always ask the masses of Muslims everywhere to turn to trustworthy scholars so that they obtain Fatwas disciplined by Sharia’s guidelines.

Respond to intruders

From time to time, demands are raised to unify the Fatwa, especially in public issues that concern all Islamic societies… Do you support this demand?

We do not need to unify the Fatwa as much as we need to respond to the chaos that the Fatwa arena is witnessing in many Islamic countries, where we witness a lot of ill-informed people who responds to the Fatwa while they are not qualified for it, and this leads to a kind of dispersion and chaos in people's commitment to the provisions of Sharia In Islamic societies, and for this we must emphasize the need for the Fatwa to be addressed by those who are qualified for it, and meet the conditions for issuing Fatwas... and also to address the scientific issues that need to clarify the legal ruling in them in a sound scientific way that provides the Ummah with sound and accurate scientific treatments based on a correct understanding of the provisions of Sharia and their transmission on a large scale to all Muslims through various media and educational curricula.

They will not distort the image of Islam

Do you see that the Fatwas of militant groups in many Islamic countries, including Nigeria, have distracted some Muslims from the justice and tolerance of Islamic law?

Religious extremist groups will not be able to influence except on the minds of their followers, who are few and have been brainwashed, and their intellectual and cultural mixes distorted in order to walk in the orbit of these groups that attract youth by immoral means far removed from thought, culture and correct concepts of Islam.

Therefore, the masses of Muslims everywhere reject the polluting ideology of extremist and unbelieving groups that practice violence and use it as a means to achieve their goals completely outside of religion.

We scholars and preachers have to warn always the Muslim youth from falling into the traps of these groups, and the duty of Fatwa and advocacy institutions in all Islamic countries is to intensify their efforts to protect young people from the ideas and Fatwas of these groups that have been corrupted by money and weapons and have become a tool of sabotage in Islamic countries used by the enemies of Islam.

Islamic banks

How does the Mufti of Nigeria see the Islamic banks that have came into existence on the economic field inside and outside the Islamic world?

In fact, we are happy with what Islamic banks have achieved in terms of success during the past years, because their success and the trust of Muslims in them confirm what we always repeat that Islam has an economic system capable of achieving justice among Muslims. Islamic banks have translated what we say on the ground, as they have achieved many goals on economic and social fields, which we consider important and even defining in the history of the society. The first is that Islam is a complete life curricula and approach.

Therefore, it is the duty of every Muslim to support Islamic banks by dealing with them in order to impose themselves on all economic dealings in Muslim countries and to get rid of the usury that has inflicted heavy losses on our economies.

Reviving the obligation of Zakath

Economists always assert that the proceeds of Zakath are sufficient to solve the problems of the unemployed poor in our Arab and Islamic countries. Nevertheless, the numbers of poor and needy people are increasing as a result of neglecting the obligation of Zakath. From your point of view: how do we revive this obligation to fulfill its social and humanitarian mission in the lives of Muslims?

Yes, reviving the obligation of Zakath and voluntary charity is a guarantor of solving the problems of the poor Muslims everywhere, and we always urge Muslims in our countries to adhere to what God has prescribed in the matter of Zakath, and we assure them that neglecting this obligation is disobedience to God and His Messenger, and denial of the blessing of money that God bestowed upon many From his creation, the person who spares some of what God has bestowed upon him will not live happily with his wealth in this world, and if this false happiness is achieved for him, he will be regret with this money that is miserly and will regret his miserliness and ingratitude on a day when remorse will not benefit.

Every Muslim must know that feeling happiness and contentment will not be achieved by money. In order for a person to live happy, he must first fulfill the rights of the poor and needy around him, and he must also make them feel a measure of happiness in order to erase the envy or hatred in them.

Help the poor

Some scholars have stated that helping poor Muslims and contributing to solving their problems is more important than repeating acts of worship such as Hajj and Umrah... How do you view this Fatwa?

Islamic law recognizes the jurisprudence of priorities, meaning that there is the most important and important, and if even though it’s the right of those who are able are to approach God with all obedience, and go on shuttle trips to repeat the Hajj and Umrah, then this should be at the expense of the social and humanitarian duties of every capable person.. Islam urged us to fulfill the needs of the poor and obligated us to provide relief to the debtors, and I think that this human gift is more important than the repetition of Hajj and Umrah. If anyone do both, then he collected both good things, and we ask God to give him more.

Mosques and religious institutes

Religious sentiments drive some Muslims who are able to establish more mosques and religious institutes, especially in African countries... Does your country need more mosques and religious institutes?

Certainly, there are areas that need mosques and religious institutes, and we must here encourage the wealthy Muslims and the good people of them by all means to establish mosques and religious institutes that help Muslims perform their religious rituals and spread religious awareness and beneficial Islamic culture among them.

But there are areas that do not need mosques or religious institutes, but more need schools, hospitals and facilities that serve the poor of Muslims, and this is what we always alert Muslims to .. Therefore we advise good people to stand on the needs of Muslims, and to pay attention to charitable works and other aspects of social solidarity, and it will be more rewarding than the establishment of mosques, God willing.

It is noticeable that the number of the poor is constantly increasing, the number of sick is increasing as well, and the unemployed have become a burden on society and threaten its security and safety, and the able-bodied have to direct their surplus money or what they bring to these poor, sick and unemployed people, because these sectors of people have rights over the rich, and God Almighty says In the Noble Qur’an: “In whose wealth a due share is included, for the needy and those disposed” Al-Ma'arij 24-25, and the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, says: “Anyone who ate much being known about a neighbor who is hunger, will not be a believer ” (Al-Bazzar and Al-Tabarani narrated it with a good chain of narration from a Hadith of Anas, may God be pleased with him), He said: The Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “The one who have adequate food  and his neighbor is in hunger near to him; while he knows it,  does not believe in me.” Al-Bukhari narrated in his history, al-Tabarani and Abu Ali from the Hadith of Ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of God said: It is not a believer who is satisfied and his neighbor is hungry near him.

Ignorant thinking!!

Why do Muslims always complain of poverty, disease, ignorance and backwardness? And why do most Muslim countries includes on the lists of the most backward countries? How do you respond to those who link this painful reality with Islamic teachings and constants?

This is a link that reveals the ignorance and stupidity of these people, for Islam is a religion of renaissance, progress and civilization, and the reality in which Muslims live with all its manifestations of weakness that has no connection with Islam from near or far... The facts, evidence and proofs say that Muslims have fallen behind and have not regained their renaissance that filled the world with knowledge, civilization and justice Because some of them are no longer working in Islam or for the sake of Islam, but have turned away from the guidance of this religion and have sought solutions to their problems from here and there.

What is required now for the Ummah is to return to knowledge and work, and for every person to bear his responsibilities and not to throw at others because, the change that we are looking for in our Islamic world is the responsibility of every individual. And our noble Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, explained to us important basic aspects regarding this civilization responsibility, so he said In the noble Hadith: “A slave’s feet do not move until he is asked about his life in what he spent, about his knowledge of what he did in it, about his money from where he acquired it and where he spent it, and about his body on which he ruined it” Riyad Al-Saleheen 1/153. Imam Al-Nawawi said in Riyadh. Al-Tirmidhi said a good and authentic Hadith.

This noble Hadith includes several basic elements for a person’s responsibility in this world, for which the Judgment Day account statement will be presented before God Almighty, and these elements are: time, work, money and knowledge.

Although these elements are important factors in the civilization process; however, some Muslims innovate in wasting time in what is not useful and ruin themselves in laziness, dependence and neglect of work, and they excel over all the peoples of the earth in the foolishness of consumerism and extravagance in everything except work and worship. Acquiring Knowledge and its methods and dependence on it to solve our problems and dealing with our crises, is still a wish that has not been properly fulfilled on the ground, except for a few of them.

Religious misconceptions

Some preachers of Islam instill in the people the hatred of the world and asceticism in all its joys. Does Islam sanction isolation from life and prohibiting the blessings of God in it?

 Those who advocate depression and isolation from life, who unfortunately spread in all of our Arab countries, do not understand the realities of Islam well. Islam is a religion that instills in the hearts of its followers everything that drives them to live their lives with its sweet and bitter ... with its joys and sorrows ... with its joys and problems, and what is required to a Muslim at all times and at all place to integrate into society, work and strive to lead a good life in this world.

Therefore asceticism in this world is not a religious requirement at all, and divorcing life with all its joys and goodness will not bring man closer to his Creator, and the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, used to pray to his Lord and say: “Oh God, fix my religion which is the infallibility of my all deeds, and fix my world in which I live. And fix for me my hereafter in to which is my go back, and make life an increase for me in all good, and make death a rest for me from all evil. ”Included by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 668 and Muslim 7002. In this supplication, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, asks his Creator to fix his pension In this world, fixing the pension means providing all the good things of life that solve a person's problems.

And the Holy Qur’an enjoins us to live this world with all its joys and troubles and to take it as a means to obtain the pleasure and reward of God in the Hereafter, so the God, Glory be to Him, says: (So seek the abode of the Hereafter through what God has given you, and do not forget your part in this world) – al-Kasas 77. So the asceticism in this world and the goods of life isn’t the mark of piety and good belief, and the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, says: “God loves to see the mark of His grace on His servant.” Fath Al-Bari 10/260 Al-Hafiz said in Al-Fath, it was hasan at-Tirmidhi.

Foolishness is rejected

Some wealthy Muslims deal with money foolishly... What does the Mufti of Nigeria advice those whom God has blessed with abundant money?

Islam urges spending money on what is lawful and permissible in moderation, without being mischievous or extravagant, and the ruling on spending money revolves around the way in which a person spends his money. If anyone keep it as a treasure and didn’t spend it miserly then Quran warn him about the heavy sanction on the day of resurrection. And if he spends it with ignorance and without logic he is a fool who must be quarantined, but if he spends it for good, then his reward from God is great, and the Noble Qur’an praises those who voluntarily give their money to the poor, sick, orphans, and other needy people. God who is great, Says: (Those who spend of their wealth in the way of God, day and night, in secret or openly, have their reward with their Lord, and have nothing to fear or regret) Al-Baqarah 274.