Syrian New Administration Leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa Meets Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai in Damascus
On Friday, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, the leader of the Syrian New Administration, met with Islamic scholar and jurist Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai, a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
This meeting was reported by the official Syrian news agency SANA via its account on Platform X.
According to the agency, the meeting brought together Al-Sharaa and Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai, along with his accompanying delegation, without revealing the details or topics discussed.
The meeting reflects the New Syrian Administration's efforts to engage with prominent Syrian figures who had been absent from the public and academic spheres due to the repressive measures of the deposed regime.
Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai, aged 81, is a distinguished Syrian scholar and Shafi'i jurist. Elected as the Mufti of Syria by the Syrian opposition, he currently serves as the President of the Syrian Islamic Council and the President of the League of Sham Scholars.
He is the son of the renowned scholar Abdul Karim Al-Rifai and the brother of preacher Sariya Al-Rifai, who passed away two days ago in Istanbul, Turkey.
Last Saturday, Damascus witnessed a significant public reception for Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai, marking his return to Syria after a 13-year absence.
Sheikh Osama had to leave Syria following his support for the Syrian revolution, during which he was assaulted and faced assassination attempts by agents of the former regime in 2011. He subsequently relocated to Istanbul.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions gained control of Damascus, ending 61 years of Ba'ath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family dominance.
The following day, Ahmad Al-Sharaa announced the appointment of Mohammad Al-Bashir, the former head of the government in Idlib (northwest Syria), to form a new Syrian government to manage the transitional period.