Libya’s top religious authority has reiterated its opposition to a tax imposed on the purchase of foreign currency, calling it religiously prohibited and demanding its immediate suspension.
In a statement issued on 30 June 2024, the Council for Sharia Research and Studies at Dar al-Ifta described the tax, introduced by the Central Bank of Libya, as a form of unjust levy, which it said is categorically forbidden in Islam.
The council argued that collecting money from citizens without fair exchange amounts to usurpation and a violation of Islamic law. Citing religious texts and scholarly consensus, it labeled the measure a “major sin” and urged authorities to rescind it without delay.
Dar al-Ifta said the Libyan state generates sufficient revenue from oil and gas and should not resort to taxing citizens, especially amid allegations of widespread corruption and financial mismanagement.
The council challenged the CBL’s justification that the tax was necessary to stabilize the market, stating it had instead widened the gap between the Libyan dinar and foreign currencies.
It also referenced concerns over “unmonitored public spending, excessive government travel, politically motivated appointments, fuel smuggling, and misappropriation of investment funds.”
According to the statement, those who endorse or remain silent about the policy are complicit in the injustice. It praised recent court rulings that suspended the tax and expressed hope that other judicial bodies would follow suit to support accountability and justice.
