Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah

Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, born in 1935 in Timbédra, Mauritania, is one of the world's most respected Muslim scholars, widely recognised for his deep Islamic scholarship, piety, and global advocacy for peace. His authority uniquely transcends divisions within the Muslim world—he is held in esteem by Sunnis across various schools, Sufis, and even by Salafi institutions. He is widely recognized by Muslim scholars around the world as one of the foremost authorities on the Islamic legal methodology known as uṣūl al-fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence).

Born in a household renowned for scholarship, his father Sheikh Mahfoudh bin Bayyah chaired the Conference of Mauritanian Scholars established after independence, instilling in him a lifelong dedication to Islamic learning. He studied in Mauritania's traditional mahadhir (centres of learning), where students immersed themselves in the full spectrum of Islamic sciences. He then studied law at the Faculty of Law in Tunisia and was trained in the Tunisian courts in 1961. He studied Islamic sciences under his father and learned Arabic language sciences from noted teachers.

Career history

• Chair, UAE Council for Fatwa (since 2017)
• President, Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies
• Deputy Head, International Union of Muslim Scholars (resigned 2013)
• Instructor, King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Head of Sharia Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Mauritania
• Judge, High Court of Mauritania
• Minister of Education and Minister of Justice, Mauritania

He served as Deputy Head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, working alongside Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi before resigning in 2013, and in 2018 was appointed Chair of the UAE Fatwa Council. He has been recognized as one of the world's most respected Islamic scholars and a champion of religious freedom, peace, and enhancing Muslim-Jewish relations. He has written extensively on Islamic legal theory, modern jurisprudence, and minority rights (fiqh al-aqalliyat), providing guidance for Muslims living in non-Muslim-majority countries. He is an active member of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, the jurisprudential body of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which advises Muslim states on religious and ethical matters.

What Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah could bring to the UAE Council for Fatwa: Drawing on his decades of experience as a jurist, diplomat, and peace advocate, Sheikh Bayyah brings unparalleled expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and international religious affairs. His theories on Islamic jurisprudence in non-Muslim societies and his emphasis on justice, mercy, and preservation of life and dignity—principles that underpin his calls for peace and coexistence—position him to provide authoritative guidance on modern religious and ethical issues facing the UAE. As an outspoken critic of terrorism and extremism, his leadership helps coordinate fatwas while maintaining alignment with the UAE's broader peace and stability objectives.