Association of Arab Maghreb Scholars

The Association of Arab Maghreb Scholars (Arabic: رابطة علماء المغرب العربي) is a scientific, advocacy, reformist and organized association that brings together a group of Sharia scholars from the countries of the Arab Maghreb. It is supported by committees comprising consultants, experts and researchers in various fields, and it seeks to guide the Islamic nation, offer appropriate solutions to its problems, and operate in accordance with the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah and the specific characteristics of the Maghreb countries. The association was founded on the recommendations of a group of scholars, sheikhs and preachers from Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. Its founding took place in Istanbul, Turkey, on 19 December 2013, where the members of the General Secretariat were elected, Sheikh Muhammad Zahl was chosen as president of the association, and Sheikh Hassan Abbas as its secretary-general, with three sheikhs from each of the five countries as members. The association obtained a legal work permit in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21 April 2014, and the General Secretariat held its first meeting after the founding in Istanbul on 5 June 2014, at which the official founding statement of the association was declared and its bylaws were adopted. The association was officially registered in the first Maghreb country, Nouakchott in Mauritania, on 27 January 2015. The association's vision is the leadership of scholars and preachers and their guidance of the nation. Its mission is to unite the word of scholars and preachers, unify their ranks, coordinate their efforts, and activate their roles through a unified reference and organized institutional work. Its values are Sharia-rootedness, practical example, collective sense, and institutional work. Its goals include building a modern administrative network across the Maghreb countries and in countries where a Maghreb community resides; developing members and raising their competence; achieving self-financing for advocacy and reform projects; gathering and guiding the energies of scholars and preachers; deriving Sharia rulings for events and general issues in the region; teaching people the principles of their religion; and establishing scientific, advocacy, media, legal, charitable and developmental institutions in the region. The association has participated in numerous international conferences and forums, including the conference of the World Union of Women's Organizations in Istanbul, a course on 'Conflict Management and Community Reconciliation' in Istanbul, the conference 'Efforts of the Companions in Spreading Islam' in Khartoum, Sudan, the conference of the International Union of Muslim Scholars in Istanbul, the 'Support of Jerusalem' conference in cooperation with the Palestine Scholars Association Abroad, the 'Reconstruction of Gaza' forum in Doha, Qatar, the conference of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Istanbul, and the meeting of the Executive Body of the World Islamic Council (MASA') in Kuwait. The association has issued numerous statements and open letters on regional and international issues, including the founding statement of 5 June 2014, statements on Gaza events, on ISIS, on the Interpol wanted list of Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, on the Tunisian presidential elections, on the Bardo incident in Tunisia, on Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen, on the Russian intervention in Syria, on the Assad regime's crimes in Aleppo, and on Sheikh Rabee al-Madkhali's message to Salafi youth in Libya, among others. It holds membership in the Association of Muslim Scholars and the World Islamic Council (MASA'). Its General Secretariat is the broadest supervisory and administrative authority, composed of fifteen members, including the president, two vice-presidents, the secretary-general, his assistant, the treasurer and his assistant, with each of the five Maghreb countries represented by three members.

The Association of Arab Maghreb Scholars was established on the recommendations of a group of scholars, sheikhs and preachers from Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The founding meeting took place in Istanbul, Turkey, on 19 December 2013, where the members of the General Secretariat were elected, Sheikh Muhammad Zahl was chosen as president of the association, and Sheikh Hassan Abbas as its secretary-general, with three sheikhs from each of the five countries as members. The association obtained a legal work permit in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21 April 2014. The General Secretariat held its first meeting after the founding in Istanbul on 5 June 2014, at which the official founding statement of the association was declared and its bylaws were adopted. The association was officially registered in the first Maghreb country, Nouakchott in Mauritania, on 27 January 2015. The association defines its vision as the leadership of scholars and preachers and their guidance of the nation. Its mission is to unite the word of scholars and preachers, unify their ranks, coordinate their efforts, and activate their roles through a unified reference and organized institutional work. Its values are Sharia-rootedness, practical example, collective sense, and institutional work. Its goals include building a modern administrative network across the Maghreb countries and in countries where a Maghreb community resides; developing members and raising their competence and training them in modern means of positive influence; achieving self-financing for advocacy and reform projects; gathering and guiding the energies of scholars and preachers; deriving Sharia rulings for events and general issues in the region; teaching people the principles of their religion; and establishing scientific, advocacy, media, legal, charitable and developmental institutions in the region. The association has participated in numerous international conferences and forums, including the conference of the World Union of Women's Organizations in Istanbul, a course on 'Conflict Management and Community Reconciliation' in Istanbul, the conference 'Efforts of the Companions in Spreading Islam' in Khartoum, Sudan, the conference of the International Union of Muslim Scholars in Istanbul, the 'Support of Jerusalem' conference in cooperation with the Palestine Scholars Association Abroad, the 'Reconstruction of Gaza' forum in Doha, Qatar, the conference of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Istanbul, and the meeting of the Executive Body of the World Islamic Council (MASA') in Kuwait. The association has issued numerous statements and open letters on regional and international issues, including the founding statement of 5 June 2014, statements on Gaza events (22 July 2014), an open letter to the Emir of Kuwait regarding the withdrawal of citizenship from Sheikh Dr. Nabil al-Awadi (12 August 2014), a statement on ISIS (30 August 2014), a statement on the Interpol wanted list of Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi (12 December 2014), a statement on the Tunisian presidential elections (14 December 2014), a statement on the Bardo incident in Tunisia (20 March 2015), a statement on Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen (27 March 2015), a statement on the Russian intervention in Syria (5 October 2015), a condolence letter to the President of Mauritania (25 December 2015), an open letter to the Algerian President regarding the trial of Sheikh Abd al-Fattah Hamdash Zarwai (10 March 2016), a statement on the Assad regime's crimes in Aleppo (2 May 2016), a statement on Sheikh Rabee al-Madkhali's message to Salafi youth in Libya (9 July 2016), participation in the statement of scientific bodies on the Fitna conference in Chechnya (1 September 2016), and participation in the statement of scientific associations denouncing the kidnapping of Dr. Nadir al-Omrani (6 October 2016). The association holds membership in the Association of Muslim Scholars and the World Islamic Council (MASA'). Its General Secretariat is the broadest supervisory and administrative authority, composed of fifteen members, including the president, two vice-presidents, the secretary-general, his assistant, the treasurer and his assistant, with each of the five Maghreb countries represented by three members. The current members include: for Libya: Nadir al-Sanusi al-Omrani, Sami al-Saidi, and Ghayth al-Fakhri; for Tunisia: Hassan Abbas and Abd al-Hadi al-Ayadi; for Algeria: Muhammad bin Aida; for Morocco: Muhammad Zahl, Abdullah al-Bukhari, and al-Hasan al-Alami; for Mauritania: Muhammad al-Amin bin al-Hasan, Muhammad Ahmad Zaruq, and Muhammad Mahfuz Idumu.

• Founding meeting in Istanbul, Turkey; election of General Secretariat members, Sheikh Muhammad Zahl as president and Sheikh Hassan Abbas as secretary-general.

• Obtained legal work permit in Geneva, Switzerland.

• First General Secretariat meeting in Istanbul; official founding statement declared and bylaws adopted.

• Officially registered in Nouakchott, Mauritania, the first Maghreb country of registration.

1. 1Association of Arab Maghreb Scholars - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2رابطة علماء المغرب العربي - Wikipedia (Arabic)ar.wikipedia.org