Fiqh Meet Calls For Digital Guidelines For Electronic Games

DOHA: The 26th edition of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy Conference has recommended allocating financial resources and training by establishing dedicated endowments for children with special needs.

It also called for the development of digital education guidelines, the enactment of laws and regulations to minimise the risks associated with digital (electronic) games, and the implementation of robust monitoring and control mechanisms.

The conference concluded in Doha on a high note after five days of intensive discussions. The high-level event convened prominent Islamic scholars, jurists, and experts from across the Muslim world to address urgent contemporary issues from a Sharia perspective.

Vice Chairman of the conference H E Sheikh Dr. Thaqeel bin Sayer Zaid Al-Shammari presented the legal rulings and recommendations issued by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy Council on various social, psychological, economic, and financial Islamic issues, as well as matters related to the halal industry.

These included childcare issues, regulations for electronic games, AI, Sharia governance in Islamic financial institutions, genetically modified foods, stunning animals before slaughter, and other matters that affect the reality of Muslim communities and the Islamic world.

The conference recommended instilling the values and rituals of Islam deeply in children's hearts and raising them accordingly.

It urged for development of a comprehensive and integrated Islamic strategy for childhood across Islamic countries, to serve as a reference for local legislation.

The conference stressed creating awareness and guidance manuals for all professionals working in child protection and care, highlighting the rights granted to children by religion and the state.

It urged holding workshops in Muslim communities to educate parents on how to address childhood challenges to preserve religious identity, reinforce innate human nature (fitrah), and protect and nurture the child's human dignity.

In response to rising concerns about the impact of electronic games on youth, the conference called for the development and issuance of comprehensive digital education guidelines, the enactment of laws and regulations aimed at minimising the risks associated with digital (electronic) games, and the implementation of robust monitoring and control mechanisms.

They recommended raising awareness among parents, guardians, and caregivers about the importance of supervising children's engagement with digital (electronic) games, to ensure content is appropriate for their age and developmental stage.

The conference also called for hosting seminars and public discussions through media to explore the advantages and disadvantages of digital (electronic) games, thereby promoting informed decision-making.

It also encourages developers and professionals in the digital gaming industry to design and produce high-quality, engaging alternatives that are both entertaining and competitive, aligning with cultural and educational values.

The default ruling on playing digital (electronic) games is permissibility. Therefore, it is allowed to engage in such games as long as they do not involve any religious prohibitions, cause harm to one's faith, self, mind, wealth, or offspring, lead to transgressions against others, or result in neglect of religious or worldly duties and responsibilities.

The conference underscored the importance of mental health in legal and religious contexts by recommending specialised training for judges and muftis to increase awareness of mental illnesses.

Joint workshops between healthcare professionals and Islamic scholars to develop shared reference materials.

Regarding infant nutrition and breastfeeding, the conference emphasised the obligation to provide appropriate care for infants, especially premature babies. It called on health ministries and international bodies to expand breastfeeding support initiatives and collaborate with the WHO and the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences in promoting infant welfare across OIC member states.

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