Muslim Unity Conference kicks off in Mecca today

[sonz]

A number of prominent Islamic scholars from all over the world will take part in a series of meetings that will be held at Muslim World League headquarters in Mecca, Saudi Arabia today Saturday April 1, 2006, Arab News reported.

The three-day event, which brought many Islamic scholars and heads of Islamic centers and organizations worldwide, is aimed at addressing key issues concerning the Muslim Ummah (nation) and finding ways to preserve and strengthen its unity.

Many scholars and renowned Muslim figures suggest that the row over the blasphemous cartoons published by a Danish paper and circulated among other papers throughout Europe had actually resulted in bringing the Muslim nations closer and uniting them by engaging in dialogue that would result in giving a boost to the Muslim world and assert its unity.

The MWL has completed preparations for the meetings scheduled to be held starting today, said the organisation secretary-general Abdullah Al-Turki.

Besides the meetings, the event also includes four workshops that will tackle key topics concerning the Muslim world, Al-Turki said, adding that the first workshop will deal with religious and cultural unity, debating three working papers.

While Soufi Hassan Abu Taleb, former chairman of Egyptian Parliament, will present a paper on “Unification of laws as a way to achieve Muslim unity”, Jaafar Sheikh Idrees, former chancellor of American Open University, will present a paper on “Unity to ward off Western attacks on Islam”, and Abdul Raheem Ibrahim, director of Khartoum International Institute of Arabic Language, will speak on religious and cultural unity, Arab News further stated.

As for the second workshop, it is expected to cover economic matters in the Muslim Ummah, stressing the need for economic unity- Nasser Muhammad Al-Dukair of the Islamic Development Bank will present a paper on liberalizing inter-Islamic trade and establishing an Islamic Common Market. Muhammad Omar, director of Islamic Center at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, will deliver a speech on the topic.

The third workshop will focus on the Social unity and will include presentations by Khaled Al-Madkoor of Kuwait and Muhammad Kouman, secretary-general of Arab Interior Ministers Council.

As for the fourth workshop, it is expected to tackle Political unity with Kamil Al-Sharief, secretary-general of World Islamic Council for Dawa and Relief in Egypt, delivering an important speech. Jaafar Abdussalam Ali, secretary-general of the League of Islamic Universities in Egypt, will present a paper on beefing up the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

Also Ammar Al-Talebi from the University of Algier will present a paper on the concept of unity propounded by Malik Ibn Nabi in the form of an Islamic Commonwealth.

Organisers of the event expect the workshops to help participants figure out a common Islamic vision in order to be able to achieve Muslims unity. Al-Turki thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for his support to the meeting.

On Tuesday, the general assembly of the association for coordinating Islamic organizations will hold its first meeting also in Mecca, tackling two main topics: challenges facing Islamic organizations and Islamic charitable work.

“We established this association to coordinate activities of Islamic organizations and centers, especially in matters such as introduction of Islam, protection of Islamic identity of Muslim minorities and formulation of a joint stand on contemporary issues,” Al-Turki said.