Reviewing his achievements since his appointment as Grand Muftī of Egypt in 2003, Shaykh ‘Alī Jum’ah has become a leading advocate for moderation. He has revolutionized the process of issuing fatwás in Egypt, transforming Dār al-Iftā’ from an institution that was the extension of one individual (the Grand Muftī) to a modern institution with a fatwá council and a system of checks and balances. Shaykh Jum’ah has also added a technological aspect to the institution by developing a sophisticated website and call center through which people can request fatwás. Over the last five years Shaykh ‘Alī has overseen the issuance of many important fatwás, all of which share the common characteristic of striving to show the continued relevance of Islam in the 21st century. The methodology according to which this is carried out can be characterized by a profound respect for the intellectual product of the past accompanied by an understanding of the specific needs the times in which we live.

Jum’ah has modernized the process of issuing fatwás in the country. He has done this by overhauling the Dār al-Iftā’ organization into a dynamic institution with regional reach, such as in Alexandria and Asyut.  His office issues some 5,000 fatwás a week, with official ones on important issues written by him and the routine ones dealt with via phone and the Internet by a team of subordinate muftīs (Ahmad al-Shūkī, al-Wafd, Feb. 4, p. 4). Read original text in Arabic.