Activities

Islamic Advisory Group (IAG)

The International Ulama Conference on Polio Eradication in Afghanistan

On 22 – 23 February 2016 an International Ulama Conference on Polio Eradication was held in Kabul, Afghanistan, in cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Al Azahar Al Sharief, the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy.

The main objective of the conference was gaining the support of the Religious Scholars to effectively implement the health programmes, with special focus on vaccination and more specifically poliomyelitis eradication.

Ulama and scholars representing different regions of Afghanistan participated in the conference where discussions revolved around barriers to vaccination, their root causes and strategies for overcoming them and restoring the confidence of vaccinators/health workers, and the role of Ulama in reaching children in inaccessible areas.

The Conference issued a Declaration/Fatwa reiterating maximum solidarity with the global polio eradication programme, endorsement of the usage of oral polio vaccine currently in use, and reaffirming all the national and international Fatwas issued in its favor.

22 – 23 February 2016

Second Meeting of the IAG, Cairo

The second meeting of the Islamic Advisory Group (IAG) was held in Cairo on 6 May 2015. The meeting adopted a new action plan that seeks to help eradicate polio in the few remaining affected Muslim nations and appealed to Islamic scholars and influencers to make as significant contribution as possible to this critical endeavour.

At a meeting in his office with IAG members, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif Dr Ahmed El Tayyeb said he was ready to assign Muslim scholars to go to polio-affected areas in the remaining endemic countries and seek to clarify related misconceptions. He also supported a proposal to enlist Azhar University students from polio-affected nations for advocacy and social mobilization in their communities.

The Islamic Advisory Group also met with the President of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy and Imam of Mecca Haram Mosque Sheikh Dr Saleh Bin Humaid, who for his part agreed to fully support the IAG in implementing its anti-polio action plan.

6 May, 2015

First IAG Meeting in Jeddah

On 26-27 February, the Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication (IAG) held its first meeting at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The meeting was co-organized by Al Azhar University and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) in collaboration with OIC and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) – the Group’s four founding members. The two-day meeting was chaired by Imam of the Holy Mosque in Makkah and President of the IIFA Council Sheikh Dr. Saleh Bin Abdullah Bin Humaid.

A Declaration was issued by the meeting reaffirming support to global polio eradication efforts and their full conformation to Islamic principles and rulings as well as underlining the safety and compatibility of polio vaccines.

26 - 27, February

International Ulama Conference on Polio Eradication in Islamabad

On 15 – 16 June 2014 an International Ulama Conference on Polio Eradication was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, under co-sponsorship of the Islamic Development Bank and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy.

Ulama, scholars and experts from Pakistan and other countries participated in the conference where discussions revolved around barriers to vaccination, their root causes and strategies for overcoming them and restoring the confidence of vaccinators/health workers, the role of Ulama in reaching children in inaccessible areas, and other pertinent questions. The Conference issued a Declaration/Fatwa reiterating maximum solidarity with the global polio eradication program, endorsement of the usage of oral polio vaccine currently in use, and reaffirming all the national and international Fatwas issued in its favor.

15 – 16, June 2014

Somali Children’s Health: Polio and Other Immunizations

On 28 - 29 January 2015, an IAG meeting was held in Khartoum, Sudan, for Somalia Children’s Health: Polio and other Immunizations.

The meeting was attended by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), AL Azhar Al Sharif, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), WHO, Rotary International, the Somali Red Crescent, the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations and others. Ulama, scholars and experts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Sudan participated in the meeting.

28 - 29 January 2015