Libyan legal expert, Mohammed Saleh Jibril Al-Lafi, said that “Libya has accredited Sharia colleges and departments, and there is no need to establish Al-Ghariani’s college,” adding that the goal is “to create an institution for producing terrorists, and an institute for preparing scholars of harm and falsehood and spreading Takfiri ideology,” in exclusive statements to the “Al-Ain News” website.
Al-Lafi explained that the legal status of the college and the grants it offers “are not permissible,” as Law No. 15 of 2012 concerning Dar al-Ifta restricts its duties to issuing fatwas on general religious matters, “not establishing educational institutions or awarding academic degrees.” He pointed out that Law No. 8 of 2014 “dissolved the Libyan Dar al-Ifta.”
Al-Lafi stated that the delay in disbursing the institution’s dues, “despite good relations with the expired-mandate Government of National Unity,” is because “the Prime Minister has all but settled his disputes with militias and adversaries, and no longer needs Al-Ghariani’s support, and is therefore stalling on providing financial support to him and his institution.”