Rabat Court rejects request to question Supreme Scientific Council

The Rabat Court of First Instance has rejected a request by the Tetouan-based Association for Human Rights and Fighting Corruption to formally question representatives of the Supreme Scientific Council. The association sought to use a judicial officer to obtain official religious rulings regarding controversial statements attributed to researcher Mohamed Al-Fayed.

The requested inquiries covered various religious topics, including the legitimacy of the Eid al-Adha ritual, the practice of washing the deceased, the concept of Tawhid, the validity of the Tashahhud in prayer according to the Maliki school, and the status of the Sunnah as a source of legislation.

The court ruled that the request lacked a sound legal basis under Article 225 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The judiciary noted that such procedural orders are intended to establish material facts rather than to solicit religious fatwas or official stances. The court further stated that granting the request could infringe upon the rights of the involved parties by creating a biased legal argument for one side against the other. This development follows a separate legal complaint filed by the association against Al-Fayed regarding his comments on religious matters.