The Ghanaian Minaret

Fez, Morocco: The Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema has announced a new charter to serve as a doctrinal guide for the promotion of the scholarly work of the members of the foundation.

The reference document is to serve as a pivotal element towards achieving the foundation’s goals.

It was launched last Friday on the sidelines of the fifth regular session of the Higher Council of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema in the library of the Al-Qarawiyin Mosque.

Included in the charter are chapters on preserving the common African religious immutable values; safeguarding spiritual security in Africa; the prospects and aspirations of the foundation; as well as the Islamic values and the protection of the common religious legacy.

The journey to producing a charter started when the Higher Council of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema, at its third regular session held in December 2019, unanimously recommended the preparation of a draft African Oulema charter by a committee of scholars.

The committee, tasked with drafting chapters and provisions, had held several meetings in Morocco and abroad to coordinate efforts to curate the contents and objectives of the Charter.

“Perceived as a platform for the promotion of interaction between scholars and as a landmark in the Foundation’s life, the Charter is based on five intertwined, complementary chapters designed to enhance and strengthen the common faith on the African continent.

“In light of the evolving tasks shouldered by African scholars as transmitters of the prescriptions of the Almighty and as followers in the footsteps of the Messenger of God—may peace and blessings be upon Him—our current times require concerted efforts, coordinated action, and a unified vision in order to rise to the challenges facing Africa—a continent characterised by cultural diversity, different religious schools, and spiritual quests,” the Foundation said in a press statement.

The foundation described the charter as a continuous process where African scholars will “address the requirements of African realities” as well as cultural developments and the relationship with the scholars’ diligence and with the diversity of views, ideas, and perceptions within a framework of unity and integration.

It added, “This document will be passed on by the current generation of scholars to the following ones as a treasured legacy.”