Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism (AOCE) Participated in a specialized workshop titled “Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills and Digital Awareness for Young Muftis” as Part of Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta 10th International Conference, themed “The Making of the Competent Mufti in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”. The workshop was organized by the Salam Center for Extremism and Islamophobia Studies and moderated by His Eminence Muhamed Jusufspahić, Mufti of Belgrade and attended by a highly select group of senior officials, digital security experts, and research center directors.
The workshop primarily aimed to establish the principle of "thinking before you adopt" and foster the intellectual and digital capacities of young muftis to confront extremist discourse and misinformation campaigns targeting Islamic institutions and concepts in the digital space. Discussions addressed key issues such as critical thinking in the field of fatwa, digital awareness and platform skills, and managing the digital reputation of the mufti and the fatwa institution.
During the workshop, Dr. Reham Salama, the AOCE’s General Director, offered illuminating insights, emphasizing that today’s illiteracy is the inability to understand, not the inability to read and write. She underscored the urgent need to promote young muftis’ digital awareness. She also warned that extremist groups do not present their delusive ideology openly; rather, they lure individuals through general religious content before dragging them into the circle of extremism, which underscores the importance of deep understanding.
Therefore, Dr. Reham called for concerted and unified efforts by religious institutions and research centers to accurately monitor misinformation and develop comprehensive guides for young muftis to keep pace with the challenges of the digital age.
It is worth noting that the 10th International Conference of Dar Al-Iftaa is held under the generous patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The conference welcomed wide international participation from leading scholars and specialists, reaffirming the importance of ethical, informed fatwa issuance in an age shaped by artificial intelligence.