At the opening ceremony here, he said that efforts must be made to ensure that Fiqh (which means Islamic jurisprudence) remains relevant in modern times.
"Fiqh must be able to respond to social dynamics and the current development," Amin added.
He stressed that it is inevitable for Ulemas to issue new fatwas (legal rulings according to Islamic law) in response to queries on contemporary issues by using the Quran and the Hadith (words and practices of Muhammad) as the basis.
Those who refuse to acknowledge that changes to the religious law are possible are those who fail to comprehend Islam, the Vice President added.
Meanwhile, Amin said that Nahdlatul Ulama has for long adopted the principle of flexibility in the matter of religious law, as agreed at the 1992 National Conference of NU Ulema in Lampung
"NU has an induction methodology to react to contemporary issues, either in discourses or methodology. Hence, in response to the real condition, NU will not merely quote (Quranic verses) but also will observe ijtima' (consensus) through usul al-fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence)," he expounded.
He highlighted that the 1992 conference also defined Nahdlatul Ulama as a moderate and methodology-based Islamic organization.
"Hence, NU can put forward global and current methodologies," Amin said.
The International Conference on the Fiqh of Civilization, themed “Developing Fiqh Principles for Global Peace and Harmony,” has been organized as part of the commemoration of Nahdlatul Ulama’s centenary in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Tuesday (February 7, 2023).
At the event, 15 national and foreign experts on Islamic law will discuss the viewpoint of Islam with regard to contemporary issues, such as the nation-state concept, relations with non-Muslims, the global political order, as well as the compatibility of the United Nations Charter with Islam.
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Translator: A Hakim/Hanif N, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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