Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.
Religious authorities refers to scholars whose knowledge and Fatwas people trust. This actually exists among Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah (a Sunni Islamic sect of Islam), even though it isn`t organized as in other sects. In their daily life, people trust some disciplines, such as medicine, engineering, legal profession and the like. The Muslim world is replete with trustworthy scholars, regardless of their position in society, and lack of organization doesn`t undermine their authority. Organizing Fatwa affairs means electing religious authorities on scientific bases known to jurists. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.