Algeria Strengthens Institutional Religious Governance to Counter Digital Fatwas, Safeguard National Doctrine, and Uphold Cultural-Religious Heritage
✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers – December 2025 – Algeria has intensified its institutional measures to safeguard its national religious doctrine and combat the proliferation of unauthorized religious edicts circulating in the digital sphere, stated Minister of Religious Affairs and Wakfs, Youcef Belmehdi, during a plenary session of the People’s National Assembly on Thursday dedicated to oral questions addressed to government officials.
Belmehdi underscored that, in response to attempts undermining the integrity of fatwa — which he described as “the beating heart of religion” — the ministry has adopted a comprehensive strategy centered on regulatory, scholarly, and educational mechanisms. Foremost among these measures is the establishment of a ministerial fatwa commission composed of a large network of esteemed scholars (ouléma) and religious authorities (chouyoukh), tasked with issuing official, nationally binding fatwas and submitting periodic reports to the ministry.
The commission is further mandated to provide individualized fatwa services through mosque muftis, designate secretaries-general and members of scientific councils across the provinces, and initiate legal action against individuals who contravene the established religious frame of reference. This process is supported by supervisory inspection services and the creation of wilaya-level fatwa committees, forming a multilayered architecture of religious oversight.
Belmehdi emphasized that the ministry’s sectoral statute includes “significant clauses concerning the preservation of entrenched religious practices derived from the principles of the national religious reference,” affirming that violations are first addressed through dialogue and scholarly guidance, with coercive measures taken only when transgressions persist.
To facilitate public engagement and strengthen religious outreach, the ministry has introduced a toll-free hotline (1088), an official email address for citizen inquiries, and a range of media programs broadcast in multiple languages. Additionally, it supports the printing of the Holy Quran in the Warsh narration and in braille, ensuring accessibility and continuity of Algeria’s doctrinal tradition.
Regarding the spread of illicit fatwas and content online that contradict the national religious reference, Belmehdi asserted that “the state is committed to monitoring and countering such content by producing, with the support of scholars, a better and more authoritative religious discourse.” He noted that this strategy aims not merely to contain misinformation, but to elevate religious literacy through credible, accessible knowledge.
In response to questioning about certain rituals observed in mausoleums that conflict with Islamic teachings, the minister acknowledged the sensitivity of the subject, stating that “mausoleums and zawiyas are an integral part of our national identity and cultural heritage.” He stressed that the ministry relies on educational sermons and scholarly guidance to sensitize citizens to correct religious concepts, while preserving the spiritual and cultural role of these institutions within Algerian society.
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