Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Dr. Nazir Ayyad, affirmed the depth of the longstanding ties between Egypt and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, describing them as relations founded on fraternity, mutual respect, and constructive cooperation.
His remarks came during a meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, with Kurdistan Region Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Pshtiwan Sadiq Abdullah and his accompanying delegation to discuss prospects for enhancing cooperation between fatwa institutions, training muftis, and countering extremist ideology.
During the meeting, Ayyad highlighted the integrated institutional framework of Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, which includes written, telephone, and online fatwa services operating within a unified methodology to provide disciplined religious guidance. He noted that Dar al-Ifta has expanded its outreach through international digital platforms to address contemporary religious challenges.
The Grand Mufti underscored the role of Dar al-Ifta’s Training Center in qualifying muftis from Egypt and abroad, as well as the Remote Learning Center, which offers specialized three-year academic programmes designed to prepare scholars capable of addressing emerging jurisprudential issues.
He also reviewed the institution’s digital initiatives, including the “Hidaya” educational platform, the Dar al-Ifta mobile application, and “Fatwa Pro,” which serves Muslim communities in the West. He noted that Dar al-Ifta is increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence into its work, including efforts to develop an AI-powered fatwa search engine.
Ayyad further highlighted the role of the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, established in 2015, which now brings together 111 members from 108 countries as a platform for cooperation among fatwa institutions worldwide.
The Grand Mufti reaffirmed Dar al-Ifta’s readiness to provide academic and training support to muftis from the Kurdistan Region and to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
For his part, Abdullah praised Dar al-Ifta’s contributions to promoting moderation and balanced religious discourse, stressing the historical ties between Egypt and the Kurdistan Region. He noted that large numbers of students from the region pursue their studies at Al-Azhar and expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in the training of imams and muftis, joint research, and academic conferences aimed at addressing contemporary religious issues and countering extremist thought.
MENA
Listen to the word paragraph
About the Author
