The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA) is an educational advocacy group led by a group of Islamic scholars with authority to issue fatwas, or rulings based on Islamic law, to clarify Islamic teachings for Muslims living in the West. ¹

AMJA is dominated by Salafi Muslims, a conservative branch of the Islamic faith, and some of its leadership has publicly sympathized with terrorist groups like Hamas. ²

Activities

In Islamic tradition, a fatwa is issued through a four-part review of the question, applying Islamic teachings and precedent similar to a secular judge’s legal analysis. AMJA’s Fatwa Committee addresses questions about its interpretation of the application of Islamic law in everyday life. The Resident Fatwa Committee includes Salah al-Sawy, Waleed Basyouni, and four other Islamic scholars. ³

Once the Committee decides and issues a fatwa on the matter, the written opinion is posted online in the AMJA fatwa bank. ⁴ It also hosts academic seminars in regions such as the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Its scholars write articles and research that is also available online within the website. ¹

In 2022, AMJA ruled that “cultivated” meat, derived directly from animal cells instead of farm-raised animals, is permissible for Muslims to eat as long as other dietary criteria under Islamic Halal practices are met. The AMJA decision included weighing the requirements of Halal with environmental stewardship. ⁵

AMJA has also made rulings on other subjects including Muslim political participation in the West, citizenship, terrorism and extremism, and the role of women. ¹

Controversies

In January 2009, AMJA secretary general Salah al-Sawy issued a fatwa responding to a question about Hamas by saying, “Now is not the time to discuss the errors of Hamas or any other Palestinian groups.” Waleed Basyouni, vice president of AMJA, also claimed in lectures that Hamas is not a terrorist group. ⁶

In 2010, AMJA received inquiries regarding the morality of doing business with Western military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan including selling food to military bases. AMJA ultimately issued a fatwa against such business transactions, claiming that Western forces were occupying Muslim lands and that it was a sin to provide them aid. ⁷

In 2011, Zuhdi Jasser, founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security and raised concerns with AMJA’s role in the politicization of Islam. ⁸ Jasser cited the AMJA fatwa calling for the death penalty for apostasy, or leaving the Islamic religion, in countries with Muslim legislatures. ⁹ AMJA scholarship on the issue maintains that this punishment was common in world religions up until that point, and recommends that Muslim governments that suspend the death penalty should find other ways to keep Muslim people compliant with their faith. ¹⁰

Leadership and Religious Advisors

The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America has a fatwa committee, leadership council, and list of experts and members who advise its work, totaling over 50 religious advisors. ^{11 12 13}

Salah al-Sawy is the secretary and co-founder of AMJA. He was born in Egypt and holds multiple professorships in the U.S. and abroad. ¹⁴ In 2022, al-Sawy discouraged Muslims from enrolling their children in Catholic schools, calling such schools “poisonous” while claiming they “contained the seeds of polytheism.” ¹⁵

Main Al-Qudah is a member of AMJA’s Fatwa Committee. Alqudah holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt and American Open University in Virginia. He also holds a master’s degree in Islamic economics from Al Yarmook University in Jordan and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Al-Azhar University. He is an associate professor of Islamic studies and finance with more than 18 years of experience and is a national speaker about Islamic finance, interest-bearing transactions, and Zakat (charitable contributions required by Islamic law). He is the president and co-founder of Guidance College, Houston. ¹⁶

Muwaffak Al Ghaylany also serves on the AMJA Fatwa Committee. He is the imam of the Islamic Center in Grand Blanc, Michigan; a faculty member at Mishkah University; and the president of the League of Imams in North America. ¹⁷

Hatem Al-Haj is a senior member of the AMJA Fatwa Committee. Al-Haj holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Fiqh from Al-Jinan University in Tripoli, Lebanon, and a master’s degree in Islamic law from the American Open University. He is a board-certified pediatrician. He was the Dean of Islamic Studies in English at Mishkah University. ¹⁸

Waleed Al-Maneese is also a senior member of the AMJA Fatwa Committee. He received a bachelor’s in Arabic Language from Alexandria University in Egypt, a masters degree in Islamic jurisprudence from the American Open University, and a Ph.D. in Islamic jurisprudence from the Graduate Theological Foundation. Al-Maneese is Vice President of the Islamic University of Minnesota, a member of the Educational Committee at the American Open University, imam and president of the board of trustees of Dar-al-Farooq Islamic Center, and a member of the board of trustees of the North American Imams Federation (NAIF). ¹⁹

Waleed Baysouni sits on the AMJA Fatwa Committee. He also is president of Al-Maghrib and head of the Theology and Ethics Department. He holds a masters degree in Islamic theology, world religions, and modern religious sects from al-Imam Muhammad University as well as a Ph.D. in theology. ²⁰

Abdel Azim Al-Siddiq is an expert at AMJA. He is a professor of Islamic law at the Islamic American University (IAU), a Muslim college and a project of the Muslim American Society (MAS). MAS is a federal charitable nonprofit that federal prosecutors alleged in a 2008 terrorism trial “was founded as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in America.” ^{21 22 23 24} Al-Siddiq is also the imam and director of the Aqsa Islamic Society. ²¹

Zululfokka Shah is listed as an expert at AMJA. He is a former president of the Islamic Circle of North America, a pro-Palestinian Muslim advocacy group with connections to the Muslim American Society. ^{21 25 26}

Financials

In 2022, AMJA had reported $538,580 in revenue, $299,275 in expenses, and $1,539,992 in assets. ²⁷ In 2021, AMJA had reported $525,290 in revenue, $299,912 in expenses, and $1,300,687 in assets. ²⁸

1. Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens. “Salafism in America: History, Evolution, Radicalization.” Program on Extremism, George Washington University. October 2018. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs5746/files/Salafism%20in%20America.pdf
2. Ryan Mauro. “Influential U.S. Imam, Jurist: Hamas is Not a Terrorist Group.” Islamist Watch. August 7, 2014. Accessed February 12, 2024 https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/43621/influential-us-imam-jurist-hamas-is-not
3. “Resident Fatwa Committee.” AMJA. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/about/resident-fatwa-committee/
4. “Categories (English).” AMJA. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/fatwa/en/categories
5. Attwood S, Jameel S, Fuseini A, AlKhalawi E, Hajat C. Halal cultivated meat: an untapped opportunity. Front Nutr. 2023 Jul 12;10:1196475. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1196475. PMID: 37502725; PMCID: PMC10370351.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10370351/.
6. Ryan Mauro. “Hamas’s American Allies: Other American Islamist Endorsers.” Capital Research Center. October 25, 2023. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://capitalresearch.org/article/hamass-american-allies-part-2/
7. Ahmed al-Shiti. “US Muslim Jurists Forbid Aid to Troops.” AlArabiya News. June 29, 2010. https://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2010%2F06%2F29%2F112607
8. “Compilation of Hearings on Islamist Radicalization.” House COmmittee on Homeland Security. 112th Congress, 2011-2012. https://www.congress.gov/event/112th-congress/house-event/LC3118/text?s=1&r=15
9. Hatem al-Haj. “The Sharia Ruling on Apostasy.” AMJA. April 17, 2006. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/fatwa/en/1486/the-shariah-ruling-on-apostasy-reddah
10. Hatem al-Haj. “The Punishment for Apostasy – Can it be Suspended.” AMJA 13th Annual Imams Conference. March 18th-20th, 2016. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Punishment-for-Apostasy-Dr.-Htem-Elhaj.pdf
11. “Leadership Council.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/about/leadership-council/
12. “Resident Fatwa Committee.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/about/resident-fatwa-committee/
13. “AMJA Members.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/about/amja-members/
14. “Salah al-Sawy.” AMJA. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/salah-alsawy-ph-d/
15. “Texas Imam: Catholic School Dr. Salah al-Sawy Advises Against Enrolling Muslim Children in Catholic Schools, Which ‘Have a Poisonous Atmosphere Charged with Polytheism.”. The MIddle East Research Institute. September 30, 2022. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.memri.org/reports/texas-islamic-scholar-dr-salah-al-sawy-advises-against-enrolling-muslim-children-catholic
16. “Dr. Main Al-Qudah Ph.D.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-main-al-qudah-ph-d/
17. “Dr. Muwaffak Al Ghaylany Ph.D.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-muwaffak-al-ghaylany-ph-d/
18.  “Dr. Hatem al-Haj” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-hatem-ahaj-m-d-ph-d/
19. “Dr. Waleed Al-Maneese Ph.D.” AMJA Online. Accessed October 10, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-waleed-al-maneese-ph-d/.
20. Dr. Waleed Basyouni Ph.D.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/scholars/dr-waleed-basyouni-ph-d/
21. “Our Experts.” AMJA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.amjaonline.org/about/our-experts/
22. “Brief for the United States.” United States of America v. Sabri Benkahla. United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, case number 07-4778. Retrieved from the Investigative Project on Terrorism October 6, 2024. https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/542.pdf#page=58
23. Kamaras, Jacob. “Muslim Brotherhood-linked mosque’s imam replaced as speaker at service for Boston Marathon attack victims.” Jewish News Syndicate. April 21, 2013. Accessed October 6, 2024. https://www.jns.org/muslim-brotherhood-linked-mosques-imam-replaced-as-speaker-at-service-for-boston-marathon-attack-victims/
24. Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Investigative Project on Terrorism. Accessed October 6, 2024. https://www.investigativeproject.org/profile/167/yusuf-al-qaradawi
25. “Crisis in Gaza.” ICNA. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://icna.org/palestine-2023/
26. “Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).” The Investigative Project on Terrorism. Accessed October 6, 2024. https://www.investigativeproject.org/profile/193/islamic-circle-of-north-america-icna.
27. “Assembly of Muslim Jurists in North America and Europe Inc”. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. Form 990. 2022. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/752994817/202321329349305382/full
28. “Assembly of Muslim Jurists in North America and Europe Inc”. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. Form 990. 2022. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/752994817/202211529349301516/full