Higher Islamic Council's elections to be held on due time

The director-general of Islamic Endowments Sheikh Hisham Khalifeh stressed on Thursday in a statement that the election of the Higher Islamic Council, that Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani had called to be held next Sunday, will take place on their due date.                        

In this regard, Sheikh Hisham Khalifeh said that the electoral body should shoulder its religious and legitimate responsibilities as well as its electoral duty by participating in this "outstanding" event awaited by Muslims after the Council had extended its mandate for more than three years.                           

The elections of the Higher Islamic Council are expected to take place on the 14th of April, while the dispute is still ongoing between the members of the council and Dar al-Fatwa.                     

The Council elects the mufti and organizes the affairs of Dar al-Fatwa, Lebanon’s top Sunnite religious authority.                         

Last year, the Shura Council suspended a call for the elections after its members, who are close to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, filed a challenge against Qabbani's call to hold the elections.             

Disputes between them rose when the members extended the mandate of the council until the end of 2013 despite the objection of Mufti Qabbani, who argues that the extension is illegal and the council’s term has expired.