DAMASCUS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday reinstated the post of Grand Mufti and established a new Supreme Fatwa Council, according to a decree released by the Syrian presidency.

Under Presidential Decree No. 8 of 2025, prominent cleric Sheikh Osama al-Rifa'i was appointed as Grand Mufti of Syria and named head of the newly-created council, which includes 15 senior scholars mostly from Damascus.

The council will be tasked with issuing religious edicts, advising on Islamic law, appointing provincial muftis, and guiding religious institutions nationwide.

In a statement published by the presidency, al-Sharaa said the reform is part of broader efforts to rebuild Syria's religious and civic institutions, noting that the role of religious leadership should be rooted in collective scholarship.

The new council, he said, will promote a balanced and unified religious discourse that preserves Syria's Islamic heritage while addressing contemporary challenges. It is also expected to play a role in resolving sectarian tensions and ensuring national cohesion.

The Grand Mufti position, long considered a symbol of religious authority in Syria, had been dissolved under the previous government in 2021. ■