11-05-2025
Egypt's Parliament approves draft law regulating Fatwa Issuance
CAIRO – 11 May 2025: During its plenary session today, Sunday, chaired by Parliamentary Speaker Hanafi Gebaly, the House of Representatives finally approved a draft law submitted by the government regulating the issuance of religious fatwas (Islamic decisions).
The Religious Committee of Parliament confirmed in its report that the draft law aims to regulate and ensure the quality of fatwa issuance in accordance with Islamic law, thereby protecting society from extremist fatwas and contributing to the preservation of social peace.
A week ago, Egypt's Minister of Endowments Osama Al-Azhari said at the Egyptian Senate (the upper house of the Parliament) that Ministry of Endowment was drafting a new law regulating issuance of fatwas.
The draft law was being formulated in cooperation with Religious Committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, he said, noting that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had previously emphasized the importance of addressing this issue.
'There is growing societal awareness and an urgent need for a strong legal framework that deters unauthorized individuals from issuing fatwas, which could endanger both public safety and national security,' Azhari said.
The Minister of Endowments explained that the draft law followed standard legislative procedures; it was first submitted to the Cabinet, which then referred it to the House of Representatives. As of today, the Religious Committee in the House has begun its discussions, signaling that the bill is now in its final stages.
