Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has stated that the Fiqh Academy's opinion on the controversy surrounding the appointment of female judges is most relevant, rather than that of the Supreme Council of Fatwa.
President Mohamed Solih recommended to appoint former High Court judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir and former Civil Court judge Aisha Shujun to the Supreme Court bench. The names were sent to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) and were accepted by the commission.
However, religious scholars are disagreeing on the impressibility of appointing female judges from an Islamic point of view. The Supreme Council of Fatwa recently issued an opinion stating that it is impermissible to appoint female judges.
Speaking during Monday's parliament sitting, Speaker Nasheed said a 'reliable' organization has not commented on the matter thus far. He added that while the Supreme Council of Fatwa is under the Islamic Ministry, it is better to seek the opinion of the Fiqh Academy on the matter.
"As you are aware, the Supreme Council of Fatwa is part of the Islamic Ministry. Under this circumstance, it is best to seek the opinion of the Fiqh Academy", he said.
According to amendments brought to the Protection of Religious Unity Act in 2016, the 'Supreme Council of Fatwa' under Islamic Ministry replaced the Fiqh Academy as the highest authority that can issue Islamic rulings on controversial issues.
The law states that the religious advisory board is responsible for raising public awareness on religious issues, researching contentious issues and providing scholarly opinions on religious matters.
Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed - Photo: Majlis
