Welcome Ramadan Mubarak and Ramadan Greetings for all of you

Welcome Ramadan Mubarak and
Ramadan Greetings to all of you

Dr. Mozammel Haque

It is very happy and good news that most communities and schools of thoughts of the United Kingdom have decided to start Ramadan from the same day, Wednesday, the 11th of August 2010 like their brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. Alhamdo Lillah, the wish of the Imam and Khateeb of the Masjid Al-Haram Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais expressed in his meeting with Muslim leaders at the Regents Park London Central Mosque and the Islamic Cultural Centre has been accepted and fulfilled. Of course, in Canada, the first fasting will be on Thursday 12 August 2010, Insha-Allah.

I am sending my Ramadan greetings and prayer to all of you. May this holy month brings barakah, and Allah's boundless mercy upon the believers and harmony and tolerance for the world. Saudi Arabia also started Ramadan on the same day, Wednesday, the 11th of August 2010.

I welcome Ramadan, the month of Mercy and Repentance, the month of the Qur’an, of laylatul qadr (the night of power) and of repentance and forgiveness. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of the Islamic faith. It was declared an obligatory duty (Fard) in the second year of the Hijrah upon each and every mukallaf (one capable of carrying out religious duties, i.e. a sane adult).

Allah the Almighty made Ramadan fasting compulsory for Muslims. Allah said, “O those who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those before so that you be God-fearing.’ [Surah Baqarah, 183]. Literally, Sawm means ‘to abstain’. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means ‘to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse: with the conditions that one abstains continuously from dawn to sunset, and that there is an intention to fast.’ Therefore, should one eat or drink anything even a minute before sunset, the fast will not be valid. Similarly, if one abstained from all these things throughout the day but made no intention to fast, there will be no fast here too.

Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an “…And eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread…” (Al-Qur’an, 2:187) Literally defined, fasting means to abstain “completely” from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year.

Fasting in Islam is based on the lunar calendar and is tied to the sightings of hilal, the crescent, or new moon. Allah the Almighty stated: “They ask you concerning the new moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time… (Al-Qur’an, 2:189). And the Traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Eat until you see the crescent and break not until you see the crescent. If it is cloudy calculate the period of the month.” (Muslim and others).

Fasting in Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has these qualifications, e.g. mentally and physically fit, adult full of age which is normally fourteen and fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause any harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst etc.

The said qualifications exclude the following categories: children under the age of puberty and discretion; men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardships; sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast; travellers may break the fast temporarily during their travel; pregnant women and women breast-feeding their children may also break their fast and women in the period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days or of confinement (of a maximum of forty days. They must postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it.

The holy month of Ramadan is the month of mercy, forgiveness, and seeking release from the Hell-fire. It is the month of repentance and acceptance of prayers. It is the month when the devils are chained, the gates of Hell are looked and the gates of Paradise are opened. That’s why; Muslims welcome Ramadan each year with energy and happiness, and are saddened only when the month departs. Fasting is for the living, not for mourning.

Ramadan is a month of worship. Muslims should welcome the month with repentance and seeking Allah’s pardon. We should keep away from committing sins; worship Allah sincerely and spending the night and day in prayer, supplication and recitation of the Holy Qur’an.

Fasting is a shield which helps prevent many sins and with which Muslim protects himself from Hell-fire. Fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also means to abstain from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and quarrelling. Therefore, fasting helps to develop good behaviour.

Fasting inculcates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, as a Muslim feels and experiences what his needy and hungry brothers feel. This gives Muslim a new sense of togetherness and association.

Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an: The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (between right and wrong). (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 185) As Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, every Muslim should prepare himself to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan by strengthening his relationship with the Qur’an. A Muslim is encouraged to complete one recitation of the Holy Qur’an during Ramadan.

We should engage more and more in the recitation of the Qur’an, in dhikr (remembrance of Allah), perform extra Salah (ritual prayers) at night and renew identity with one another in our obedience to Allah.

Ramadan is called the month of charity and sympathy; a month of giving in charity and sharing meals to break the fast together. Many Muslims also pay Zakah in the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is an excellent opportunity to bring about permanent improvement into our lives. We can do this by making a goal to remove a harmful trait from our character or speech, whether it be argumentation, backbiting, making false promises, or resentment against a fellow Muslim, or a sinful matter from our lives. Insha’Allah by the baraka of this month, this effort will result in change that will benefit us in this world and the next.

I would again like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a blessed Ramadan. May this blessed month bring unadulterated peace to everyone in the world. May Allah make this Ramadan a month of increasing nearness to Him, and May He accept all of our fasts and worship. Ameen.

Thus Ramadan becomes a blessed month of physical, moral and spiritual renewal through fasting, charity and worship. This is the moral and spiritual gifts of Ramadan. “We can say that Ramadan gives us the great gift of Taqwa (Piety). Taqwa is the sum total of Islamic life. It is the highest of all virtues in the Islamic scheme of things. It means God-consciousness, piety, fear and awe of Allah and it signifies submission to Allah and total commitment to all that is good and rejection of all that is evil and bad,” said Dr. Muzzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

Message from British Foreign Secretary
British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, MP, also sent his “good wishes to Muslims across the world for the holy month of Ramadan” in his Ramadan Message to the British Muslim Community. Hague said, “This is a very important time in the calendar. It’s a time of fasting, of prayer, of introspection, of the gathering of families and I’m very conscious as a British politician of the huge contribution that so many Muslims in Britain make across the whole breadth of our society and that is something of course that we want to see even more of in the future.”
“So it’s a very, very important time of year celebrating what Ramadan is about, important values of selflessness, of charity, of compassion, of looking after people less fortunate than ourselves. And these are values of course that unite Muslims and non Muslims alike. So at this special time of year I say to you, your friends and your relatives, Ramadan Mubarak,” Hague said in his Ramadan Message.

Message from the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques
Imbibe the True Spirit of Islam
King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, urged Muslims around the world on Tuesday to compete with one another in righteous deeds and work to alleviate the pain and suffering of the poor and needy, inspired by the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan.

“This blessed month has taught us many lessons. We have to contemplate them to learn how people should be compassionate to their fellow beings, how the rich feel the suffering of the poor, and how Muslims compete with one another to win the pleasure of God,” the king said in his Ramadan message.

In their message, the king and crown prince called upon Muslims to participate actively in the creation of a human civilization. In this respect, the message referred to Saudi Arabia’s efforts to promote dialogue with followers of other religious faiths and cultures.

“Our interfaith dialogue initiative was aimed at building a civilized world bringing people closer in order to work for establishing peace and justice and enhancing the welfare of the whole humanity,” said the message that was read out on Saudi Television by Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja.

They also emphasized the role of Ramadan in deepening the qualities of kindness, forgiveness, mercy and showing sympathy to those who are less well off. “It revitalizes the high values that our religion has taught us,” the message said. “It’s a month when the doors of the Heaven will be kept open and of Hell remain locked.”

“Islam is a religion of love, compassion and tolerance, and that its message has been revealed as a mercy for the entire mankind. It is a way of guidance and welfare and it is a method that advocates dialogue and coherence. It also calls for effective participation to build mankind’s civilization,” the address said.

“From this standpoint, the Kingdom, on which Almighty Allah bestowed the honour of the service of the Two Holy Mosques, has a duty and responsibility to defend and protect this religion, serve Muslims’ interests and renew and revive their dialogue with the world’s cultures, societies and others’ religions with the objective of building a civilized and coherent world that finds its roots in the principles of peace and justice,” the address concluded.

Training of Imams and Islamic Preachers of the Balkan Region

Training of Imams and
Islamic Preachers of the Balkan Region

Dr. Mozammel Haque

TIRANA, ALBANIA: After attending the International Conference on Foreign Investments in Albania which was held at the Tirana International Hotel at Tirana from 3rd to 5th of November, I was also invited to a Seminar on the Training of Imams and Islamic Preaches of the Balkan regions. This Seminar was held at the Hotel Chateau Linza, Tirana from 5th of November until 8th of November, 2009.

For the first time in Albania, a Seminar on the Training of Imams and Islamic Preachers of the Balkan region with the theme: Presentation of the values of dialogue and moderation, organized by the Islamic Organization for Education , Science and Culture (ISESCO), in cooperation with the Ministry of the Temples and Islamic Affairs of the State of Kuwait, was held under the auspices of the Albanian Islamic Institute of Thought and Civilization (AIITC) and the Muslim Community of Albania, in the Hotel Chateau Linza, Tirana from 5 November until 8th November, 2009.

Deputy Chairman of Albanian Muslim Community, Mr. Bujar Spahiu, Prof. Dr. Abduselam Muhammad Al-Ahmer, ISESCO's representative, Advocate Rasim Hasanaj, Chairman of State Committee on Cults took part at the opening ceremony of the Seminar and representatives of the diplomatic corps of Arab and Islamic countries accredited in Tirana, representatives of humanitarian and cultural organizations active in Albania and abroad attended the ceremony. The activity was also attended by a large number of Muslim religious leaders and Islamic intellectual elite from Albania, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Sandzak, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Croatia etc.

This Seminar was part of the ISESCO’s projects and strategies for the benefit of education and presentation of Islamic culture in the West and all over the globe in general. They give priority to the building of Mosque and the role of worship that takes place there. Some of the goals of this activity are also the recognition of religious staff, their education with higher standards which are required from them to manage the contemporary challenges.

In this Training Seminar, 35 Imams were given training for 4 days with the best and the most efficient methods ordered by Islam, already incorporated in the modern methodologies, including the respect for different opinions, the worthy dialogue about these important religious topics and their balanced relations with the public whether Muslims or non-Muslims. Participants in the seminar was given practical lessons on how to prepare the religious lectures, by clarifying the basic principles of a public lecture and a selection of appropriate topics that should be treated for the societies where they live. Theoretical lectures were also given to the participants how a religious leader could fulfil his holy mission.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Dr. Ramiz Zekaj, Director General of the Albanian Institute stressed that the role of Imams and Muslim scholars educated in Islamic capitals, especially in Istanbul and Cairo, has been very crucial in the presentation of the values of Islam in the population of the Balkan areas in general and Albania in particular. Dr. Ramiz also mentioned that Muslim scholars were not only engaged in their personal contributions to their mission as presenters of Islam, but they also paid special attention to the good cultures and local traditions. These values of Islamic culture and also those of local cultures would later serve for the next generations as the basis on which to build their modern civilization that we live in today.

Prof. Dr. Abduselam Al-Ahmer, representative of ISESCO for this Training Seminar, said that ISESCO has a wide experience in events for education, science and culture. It has dedicated a significance to the mission of the Islamic religious leadership and its importance in the monitoring of Islam in the everyday lives of Muslims around the world.

Prof..Ahmer also mentioned that with recent global developments and with the expanding phenomenon of globalization, many questions and challenges arise about modern Muslim societies, especially outside the Islamic world. Thus there is a need for training the imams and religious leaders to face these challenges, to present the fair presentation of Islam in the societies where they operate, as well as to clear any extremist ideas which, in fact, are not in the nature of Islam, to avoid them from the Muslim societies. This Training Seminar aims precisely at this mission, he added.

Prof. Ahmer also mentioned that today, more than ever, it is important to give evidence to the role of the institution called Mosque and also to the importance of worship and the selection of the Imams and religious leaders, as well as their training in the highest standards as educators and leaders for their societies.

Prof. Ahmer said that we can mention that Imam should not only be a leader of religious rituals in the Mosque but he should even be the educator of the society. He should be the reference-epicenter in the Muslim society. He must take care of the general interest of society where it operates. The imam should also be the main activist in favour of issues relating to this society.

The imam should convey the message of evaluation of reality in a balanced way and operate with the highest principles of moral, being thus an example fir the public with whom he lives. In this way, he applies the Word of God in the Qur’an where it is ordered: “Call in the way of your God with wisdom and beautiful advice and discuss with them in the best way,” Prof. Ahmer added.

Hafiz Shaban Salihaj on behalf of the Albanian Muslim Community thanked the organizers and stressed the enormous need of the choice of the middle way in the daily practice, without extremism of any kind. He also stressed the great importance for the creation of opportunity “for our Imams to be trained about the ways of preaching and the techniques to be used by them in relation to the masses.

While Mr. Rasim Hasanaj, Chairman of the State Committee on Cults, in his speech highlighted the very good interfaith relations and the mutual respect and tolerance among religions in Albania, being this an example to be taken as a model for the rest of the Balkans and Europe. He also stressed the excellent reports of the state regarding the religion in general and that of Islam in particular.

ISESCO has devoted a special importance to the issue of Islamic call and the awareness by implementing a clear strategy for the Islamic cultural and educational work outside the Muslim world. In the ninth session of the Supreme Council for Education, Science and Culture of ISESCO, which took place in Moscow in June 2008, it resolved to appoint a special programme for training and education of Imams and religious leadership.

ISESCO presented the same project before the Council of Heads of Islamic Centres in Latin America and the Caribbean in their Seventh session held in Venezuela in the same year. In October, 2008, it was carried out into effect its first training workshop for Imams of the East Asia and the Pacific Ocean held in Singapore in which I had the privilege to participate and present a paper entitled “British Muslim Community: An Overview”. The same workshop was also held in the town of Essen in Germany last month, i.e., October, 2009.

Madrid Conference - Its importance and Significance

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The first International Conference for Dialogue was held in Makkah al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia last June, that was inaugurated by King Abdullah at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. That was a meeting attended by representatives of the different Muslim schools of thoughts. Before the Saudi Monarch invited the followers of all revealed religions and other cultures and civilizations, he wanted to get a mandate from the Muslim Ummah to come and say - I am now coming to you on behalf of the religious leaders, religious callers from the Muslim Ummah.

The Saudi King wanted to bring Muslims together and wanted to ask them what is your opinion and what do you think about dialogue with the non-Muslims from all over the world. There was dialogue and free discussions. Muslim scholars and representatives of Muslim communities, not only from the Muslim and Arab countries, but also of those who live in minority areas like the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia, attended the free discussions at the Makkah meet and unanimously agreed to give King Abdullah the mandate to speak on behalf of the Muslim Ummah.

That’s why King Abdullah was very strong. He was not coming on his own but he made Shoura and free discussions and got the free authorization. The Makkah conference told him to “go ahead in the name of Allah the Almighty. Allah blesses you and we are behind you.”

King Abdullah immediately within a month came to the West, to Europe and selected the most suitable country, Spain. Spain has the golden history in this kind of dialogue and has religious freedom for followers of different religions. The World Conference on Dialogue in Madrid took completely a new direction. All previous conferences for dialogue were held between religions where participants presented views of their religions. This was not successful experience because people or followers of religions were stick to their beliefs. The Madrid gathering was completely different. It assembled the followers of different religions, cultures and civilizations, who presented their views on issues facing mankind.

The Madrid Conference on Dialogue was significant in many respects. Firstly, the venue selected for this conference was Spain, known for its historical symbolism as a place where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived together in peace. It was “a natural place for this type of dialogue” since for centuries it has been home to members of three of the world’s great religions, said the Saudi Ambassador to Spain, Saud bin Naif.

Secondly, it was indeed a historic and unique occasion because the two heads of state, the King of Saudi Arabia and the King of Spain, inaugurated this World Conference on Dialogue. “Your Majesty, your personal presence gives new impetus to broaden the dimensions of existing inter-religious dialogue and reinforces the premise that religious communities and leaders can and must play a role in easing tension,” said Rabbi Arthur Schneier, President, Appeal of Conscience Foundation, Member, UN Alliance of Civilizations High Level Group and Senior Rabbi, Park East Synagogue, New York.

Thirdly, the conference was attended by around 300 eminent personalities and representatives from among the followers of the three revealed religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism, as well as by representatives of Oriental philosophies, cultures and civilizations, and especially by those who are specialized in dialogue and issues related to the human societies, international cooperation, human rights and issues and issues of peace, security and co-existence in the world. So the participants were not only the followers of revealed religions but also the followers of some specific philosophy, cultures, thoughts and civilizations. Among the attendees were the Secretary General of the World Jewish Congress Michael Schneider and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, in charge of dialogue between the Vatican and Muslims and the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has recently launched his own Tony Blair Faith Foundation. This is the first time in history that such a gathering took place.

Fourthly, the world is facing countless challenges that threaten the very existence of mankind. The conference focuses on a common vision and principles acceptable to all as its aim was to focus on human issues and challenges facing the world and avoid theological questions. The Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Dr. Abdullah Mohsin al-Turki, said “the aim of inter-faith conference is for us to get to know each other and to look for ways to cooperate.” The MWL chief said the conference would not interfere in religious and political issues but focus on the common factors shared by followers of divine religions and different oriental cultures. The conference stressed the need to build a bridge of mutual understanding and co-existence between various people so that the world would be free from the evils of war, injustice, violence, terrorism, drugs and depravity, the MWL chief said.

Fifthly, King Abdullah had initiated the dialogue in order to discuss and seek solutions to the myriad problems facing humanity, such as erosion of family norms, weakening of moral values, and conflicts among nations, peoples, societies and civilizations. Speaking about the Madrid conference, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican City, said, “Since the very beginning of our meeting, King Abdullah has focused the objectives of this conference on Dialogue with a courageous speech when he declared: “If we wish this historic meeting to succeed, we must focus on the common denominators that unite us, namely faith in God, noble principles, and lofty moral values which constitute the essence of religion.”

Sixthly, King Abdullah made a tremendous move by demonstrating both to the Muslims and the rest of the world that it is possible, in fact, it is sacred to be both the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, defender of the faith and also as the promoter of peace and harmony with other faiths. Speakers at the conference praised King Abdullah as a peacemaker and initiated debate about establishing the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Global Centre for Inter-Faith Dialogue. “No statesman realizes the need for peace more acutely than King Abdullah whose Kingdom lies in the vortex of an imagined clash of civilizations,” said Jose de Venecia, a Filipino who is Vice-President of Christian Democratic International and Chairman of CDI-Asia Pacific International Conference of Asian Political Party.

Last but not least, religion is blamed for war, conflicts and confrontation, which is not correct. “The tragedies we have experienced throughout history were not the fault of religion but were caused by extremism, which has been adopted by some of the followers of all religion and all political systems,” said King Abdullah while opening the three-day international conference. “Many disputes seem to have been caused by religion, but in reality these are caused by reasons outside religious beliefs,” said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

King Abdullah was confident of the success of dialogue: “Our dialogue will be a success of faith against atheism, of virtue against vice, of justice against injustice, of peace against conflicts and wars, and of human brotherhood against racism.”

World Conference on Dialogue in Madrid

World Conference on Dialogue in Madrid

King Abdullah Calls for a constructive
dialogue between religions

Dr. Mozammel Haque

MADRID: I came to Madrid, the capital of Spain, on Tuesday, the 15th of July 2008 to attend the World Conference on Dialogue, organized by the Makkah-based Muslim World League, under the patronage of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, held at the El Pardo Palace on Wednesday, 16 July 2008. The conference was attended by more than 300 eminent personalities and representatives from the followers of different revealed religions and also of different philosophies, cultures and civilizations and especially those who are specialized in dialogue and its issues related to the life of human societies, to international cooperation, human rights and issues of peace, security and co-existence in the world.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
The King of Saudi Arabia has made a call to achieve a constructive dialogue between different religions. The event took place at the El Pardo Palace with King Juan Carlos I as the host, during the inauguration of the World Conference on Dialogue. King Abdullah is the promoter of this conference which lasted till Friday, the 18th of July, 2008 when the Madrid Declaration was announced.

On the opening ceremony at the El Pardo Palace, addressing the King of Spain and the eminent personalities of different religions, cultures and civilizations, King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz said, “I extend my deep appreciation to my friend, His Majesty King Juan Carlos, and the Kingdom of Spain and its friendly people for welcoming the convening of this conference on their land, a land that has a historic and civilized heritage among the followers of religions, and which has witnessed coexistence between people of differing ethnicities and religions and cultures, and contributed, with other civilizations, to the advancement of humanity.”

King Abdullah also said, “I came to you from the place dearest to the hearts of all Muslims, the land of the Two Holy Mosques, bearing with me a message from the Islamic world (Ummah), representing its scholars and thinkers who recently met in the confines of the House of God. This message declares that Islam is a religion of moderation and tolerance; a message that calls for constructive dialogue among followers of religions; a message that promises to open a new page for humanity in which – God Willing – concord will replace conflict.”

The Saudi sovereign underlined in the presence of the Spanish monarch, the Spanish government, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and a series of religious leaders, the common points of the three main monotheistic religions. “We all believe in one God, who sent messengers for the good of humanity in this world and the hereafter. His Will, praise be to Him, was that people should differ in their faiths. If the Almighty had so desired, all mankind would have shared the same religion. We are meeting today to affirm that the religions that God Almighty desired for the happiness of man, should be a means to ensure that happiness,” declared King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al- Saud.

Kind Abdullah also said, “It is therefore incumbent upon us to declare to the world that difference must not lead to conflict and confrontation, and to state that the tragedies that have occurred in human history were not attributable to religion, but were the result of extremism with which some adherents of every divinely revealed religion, and of every political ideology, have been afflicted.”

“Mankind is suffering today from a loss of values and conceptual confusion, and is passing through a critical phase which, in spite of all the scientific progress, is witnessing a proliferation of crime, an increase in terrorism, the disintegration of the family, subversion of the minds of the young by drug-abuse, exploitation of the poor by the strong, and odious racist tendencies. This is all a consequence of the spiritual void from which people suffer when they forget God, and God causes them to forget themselves. There is no solution for us other than to agree on a united approach, through dialogue among religions and civilizations,” said King Abdullah.

“Most of the past dialogues have failed because they have deteriorated into mutual recrimination focusing on and exaggerating differences in a sterile Endeavour that exacerbated rather than mitigated tensions, or because they attempted to fuse religions and creeds on the pretext of bringing them closer together. This is likewise a fruitless effort, since the adherents of every religion are deeply convinced in their faith, and will not accept any alternative thereto,” said the Saudi Monarch and added, “If we wish this historic meeting to succeed, we must focus on the common denominations that unite us, namely, deep faith in God, noble principles, and lofty moral values, which constitute the essence of religion.”

Likewise, the Saudi King stressed the value of religion in order to combat the problems of modern societies: “Terrorism, the disintegration of families, drugs, exploitation of the weak: all these are a consequence of a spiritual void,” he declared.

King Abdullah also declared, “Man is capable – by the Grace of God – of vanquishing hatred through love, and bigotry through tolerance, thereby enabling all mankind to enjoy the dignity that the Almighty has bestowed upon all of them.”

After the speech of both the Kings and the speech of the Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, there was lunch at the Palace of the King of Spain.

Dialogue and its Religious & Civilizational Foundations
The five sessions and the concluding session were held at the Auditorium Madrid Hotel in Madrid. The first session on “Dialogue and its Religious & Civilizational Foundations” was held under the chairmanship of Dr. Bawa Jain, Secretary General of the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. Dr. Hussain Hamed Hassan, Legal Adviser, Dubai Islamic Bank spoke on Dialogue in Islam; Dr. Najeeb Gabriel, Head, Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights spoke on Dialogue in Christianity; Senior Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Founder and Chairman of Conscience Foundation Call, USA, spoke on Dialogue in Judaism and Dr. M.M. Verma, Director of Interfaith Foundation, India, spoke on Dialogue in Oriental Creeds (Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism).

Dialogue and Its Importance in Human Society
The second session on “Dialogue and Its Importance in Human Society” chaired by Salih bin Abdullah bin Humaid, the Speaker of Shoura Council, Saudi Arabia on 17th July. Rev. Nichiko, President of Japan Committee of World Parliament for Religion and Peace, spoke on Dialogue and Interaction of Cultures and Civilizations; Dr. Abdelhadi Al-Tazi, Member of Royal Academy of Morocco, spoke on Dialogue and its impact on peaceful co-existence; Congressman Jose De Venecia, Jr. Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, spoke on Impact of Religion on World Ethical Promotion and Dr. Redwan Naef Al-Sayyed, Chairman of the International Institute for Islamic Studies, Lebanon, spoke on Dialogue in the face of Calls for Clash of Civilization and End of History.

Common Human Values in Areas of Dialogue
The third session on “Common Human Values in Areas of Dialogue” chaired by Dr. William F. Vendley, Secretary General of the World Conference of Religions for Peace. Dr. Nihad Awad, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, USA, spoke on Ethical Reality in Contemporary Human Society; Sheikh Muhammad Ali Taskheeri, Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, Iran, spoke on Significance of Religion and Values in Combating Crimes, Drugs and Corruption; Shankaracharya Onkar Anand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, leader of Sanatan Dharm, India, spoke on Role of Religion and Family in Stability of Society and Rev. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, Rector of Pontifical Institute for Arabic Studies, Vatican, spoke on Protection of Environment as a Common Human Duty.

Evaluation and Promotion of Dialogue
The fourth session on “Evaluation and Promotion of Dialogue” chaired by Rabbi Caudio Epelman, Secretary General of Jewish Congress in Latin America & Caribbean, Argentina. Dr. Izeddin Ibrahim Mustafa, Adviser to President of United Arab Emirates for Cultural Affairs, UAE, spoke on Muslim-Christian-Jewish Dialogue: Its Future and Horizons; Master Xue Cheng, Vice-Chairman of Buddhist Association of China, spoke on Dialogue with Oriental Creeds: Its Future and Horizons; Father Econos Nabbel Haddad, Executive Director of Jordanian Centre for Religious Co-Existence Researches, Jordan, spoke on Efforts of World Countries and Organizations in Augmenting Dialogue and Overcoming Its Obstacles and Mr. Federico Mayor Zaragoza, President of the Cultural Foundation of Peace, Spain, spoke on Dialogue: Its Impact on Peaceful Co-Existence.

Disseminating of Culture and Co-existence of Dialogue
The fifth session held on 18th July on “Disseminating of Culture and Co-existence of Dialogue” chaired by Dr. Ahmed Talib Al-Ibrahimi, former Foreign Minister of Algeria. Dr. Nabil Luka Bibawi, Member of Shoura Council of Egypt spoke on Media and Its Impact on Disseminating the Culture of Dialogue and Co-existence; Dr. James Kidner, Director of Co-existence Foundation, UK, spoke on Dialogue: Its Impact on Co-existence and Dr. William Baker, President of Christians and Muslims for Peace (CAMP), USA, spoke on Dialogue, Peace and Co-existence.


The Madrid Declaration urges for
a special UN session on Dialogue

The three-day World Conference on Dialogue concluded here on Friday, 18th July by calling for forming a working team to study the problems hindering dialogue and proposing an international agreement to combat terrorism. The Islamic, Christian and Jewish leaders appealed for a special UN session to promote dialogue among the followers of religions, cultures and civilizations.

The Madrid Declaration, read by Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Zaid, Deputy Secretary General of the MWL, demanded an international agreement of defining terrorism, addressing its root causes and achieving justice and stability in the world. “Terrorism is a universal phenomenon that requires unified efforts to combat it in a serious, responsible and just way,” it said. It rejected the call for the clash of civilizations and cultures and warned of the danger of campaigns seeking to deepen conflicts and destabilize peace and security.

Delegates said legal and political negotiation must proceed the establishment of a Centre for dialogue named after King Abdullah in view of his role as a promoter of peace and constructive dialogue. “No statesman realizes the need for peace more acutely than King Abdullah whose Kingdom lies in the vortex of an imagined clash of civilizations,” said Jose de Venecia, a Filipino who is Vice-President of Christian Democratic International and Chairman of CDI-Asia Pacific International Conference of Asian Political Party.

The Madrid Declaration called upon the UN General Assembly to conduct a special session on dialogue. They said, “Dialogue is one of the essentials of life. It is one of the most important means for knowing each other, cooperation, exchange of interests and realizing the truth, which contributes to the happiness of humankind.”

Proceedings of the Historic International Conference for Dialogue at Makkah

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Makkah al-Mukarramah: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, called on Muslims to counter challenges of rigidity, ignorance, narrow-mindedness so as to make the world accommodate the concepts and prospects of the message of Islam. “We are the voice of justice and moral values, we are the voice of rational and just co-existence and dialogue, the voice of wisdom and admonition, and dialogue with the best way possible as Allah says in the Holy Qur’an, ‘Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and discuss with them in ways that are best’,” the King said, while inaugurating a three-day conference on inter-faith dialogue, organized by the Muslim World League (MWL), held in Al-Safa Palace, in Makkah al-Mukarramah, on Wednesday, 4th of June, 2008.

King Abdullah, the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques
“The way to the others will be through the common values: the values that the Almighty has sent for man’s goodness, the values which discard unfaithfulness and that protect from crimes and fight terrorism, values that belittle lies and establish moral principles, truth, honesty and justice and enforce family ties,” the King said.

“Our hearts are full of tolerance and love that the Creator has ordered us to maintain,” the King said.

The King also said, “We will argue peacefully. In case we disagree, we refer to what Allah has said: “You have your own religion and I have mine.”

This Conference brought together more than 500 scholars, thinkers, officials of Muslim organizations and dialogue centres and academics from all Muslim countries and Muslim minorities living in various countries. More than 300 media representatives from all over the Muslim and Muslim minority countries, armoured with their professional tools, were seen cruising the conference halls of the International Conference looking for interviews and stories.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
Addressing the gathering, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh of Saudi Arabia said privilege of influential communication should be used in positive ways.
”It is not true that Islam is the religion of terrorism and violence neither is it correct that Islam violates human rights,” he said.

”In fact, Islam is the religion of mercy and it respects human rights,” the Grand Mufti added. He said Muslims have pinned their hopes on King Abdullah who has been always working for the unity of the Islamic Ummah, as he knows very well the difficulties that face Muslims.

Former President of Iran, Ali Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani
Ali Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran, in his speech, said in the augural session: “A few meters away from Al-Safa hill, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) used to address the disbelievers of Quraish. Saudi Arabia is now doing the same.” “We are suffering from many problems and it is the duty of our scholars to suggest solutions. Countries of the Muslim world represent nearly a quarter of the world, so we should create an alliance and take unanimous decisions as 20% of the whole world’s resources are under the control of the Islamic states,” he said.

Secretary General of the MWL, Dr. Abdullah Mohsin al-Turki
The Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Dr. Abdullah ibn Abdul Mohsin al-Turki, said, “The rapidly violent current of globalization has unfortunately inundated mankind with serious crises and problems for which it earnestly looks forward for Allah’s mercy to save it from the various ailments and guide its technological and cultural creativity to what helps man achieve due reform and happiness.”

Dr. Turki said, “In Islam, there are solutions for man’s contemporary crises. Furthermore, the Muslim Ummah, which has a civilized pioneering experiment, is capable of both fostering coexistence with the modern civilization, and guarding its development with the Islamic ethics and principles. The Qur’an said, “There hath come to you from Allah (new) light and a perspicuous Book.” “Wherewith Allah guided all who seek His pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His Will, unto the light, - guideth them to a path that is straight.” (5:15-16).”

Dr. Turki also said, “The followers of other religions have views on contemporary problems that cannot be ignored. Like Muslims, they have their share in presenting solutions for man’s crises and the challenges confronting him. Moreover, the principles of these religions either come close or remain far from the Islamic tenets depending on what remains from the truth that Allah endowed to previous Prophets (May Allah’s blessing be upon them ) and revealed in their books. Likewise, philosophies have humanitarian aspects common with religions, as their founders had encouraged each other to promote morals and avoid vices and bad conduct.”

Emphasizing on the importance of Dialogue, the MWL chief said, “With meaningful dialogue, Muslims can point out many humanitarian aspects which are common with others and promote these aspects for drafting a programme of action indispensable for mankind and helpful for encouraging mankind to come nearer to the heavenly guidance that Islam presents as solutions to these problems. For, Islam is characterized with comprehensiveness, and encouraging Muslims to keep away from selfishness, passion and hegemonic tendencies displayed in ethnic and regional expressions. However, dialogue with followers of other religions and philosophies in this connection does not mean that Muslims relinquish the rules of Islamic Shari’ah.”

The Objectives of the Conference
Through this large gathering of intellectuals and elites of the Muslim Ummah, the Muslim World League sought to achieve the following objectives: “to confirm that the concept of dialogue with others is supported by the Qur’an and Sunnah highlight its ethics and rules, take inspirations and rulings from genuine Islamic sources; to study problems associated with dialogue issues, and present Islamic answers that help achieve the objectives of Islamic Shari’ah and interest of Muslim Ummah; to consider the dialogue experiments in the last five decades and evaluate their negative and positive aspects, as well as develop a new plan for promoting its future by benefiting from previous experiments; to coordinate among Islamic organisations concerned with dialogue and develop a mechanism through which the Islamic ranks are united; to agree upon a comprehensive Islamic charter with which different Islamic circles practicing dialogue abide; to study the means of using dialogue in introducing Islam, rectifying its distorted image, presenting it as a model that is capable of providing solutions for various challenges that the world remains perplexed in their confrontation; to address an appeal to others that elucidates the views of Muslim Ummah towards contemporary crises.”

Proceedings of the Conference
The Conference focussed on four pivotal topics, such as the basis of dialogue in Islam, the methodology and principles of dialogue, parties involved in dialogue, and areas of dialogue. The first session on Wednesday, 4th of June on the concept of dialogue and its objectives in the Qur’an and Sunnah and experiences of cultural dialogue throughout history, was presided over by Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid, the President of the Shoura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dr. Saad ibn Ali Al-Shahrani, Executive Director of the World Forum for Muslim Scholars and Intellectuals, spoke on “Islamic Authentication for Dialogue” and Dr. Jawad Muhammad Mahdi Al-Khalisi, President of Al-Khalisiah University, Iraq talked on “Experiments of Civilization Dialogue Throughout History”.

The second session discussed the topic “Dialogue Parameters and Its Legal Terms”. Chaired by Dr. Nour Muhammad Hidayat Waheed, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Indonesia. Dr. Isam Ahmad Al-Basheer, Secretary General of the International Centre for Moderation in Kuwait and Dr. Salman Bin Fahd Al-Oudah, General Supervisor of the Institution of Islam Today, were the main speakers of this session.

The third session on Thursday, the 5th of June on the mechanism of dialogue was chaired by Sheikh Muhammad Ali Taskhery, Secretary General of the Center for Reconciliation of Islamic Schools of Thought, Iran and attended by Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal-Al-Sheikh and Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki, Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL). Three participants presented their papers in which they highlighted the framework of dialogue in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Hulail, Chief Justice of the Hashemite Court and Imam of the Royal Court, Jordan spoke on Dialogue Mechanisms; Dr. Majid Muhammad Al-Majid, Professor of the College of Arts, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, spokje on Ethics and Controlling Factors of Dialogue and Dr. Mungiz Mahmoud Al-Saggar, Researcher at the Department of Studies & Research, Muslim World League, Makkah, Saudi Arabia spoke on Dialogue – Complexities & Areas of Prohibition.

The fourth session on Thursday, the 5th of June under the chairmanship of Dr. Izzeddeen Ibrahim, Consultant to President of UAE for Cultural Affairs, focussed on the importance of coordination among Islamic organizations in holding dialogue with other faiths. Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, Secretary General of the International Islamic Council for Dawa and Relief, Egypt, spoke on “Coordination among Islamic Organizations concerned with dialogue”; Sheikh Badr Al-Hassan Al-Qasmi, Vice Chairman of the Indian Islamic Fiqh Council, India, spoke on “Dialogue with Followers of Various Philosophies” and Dr. Jamal Badawi, Professor of Halifax University, Halifax, Canada also talked on the session.

The fifth session on Friday, 6th of June, on the Areas of Dialogue, was chaired by Retired Field Marshal Abdul Rahman M. Sowar Al-Zahb, Chairman of Monazamat Al-Da’wah Al-Islamiah. Dr. Abdur Rahman bin Omar Mahi presented a paper on “Foundations of Dialogue & Common Human Principles”; Dr. Mahmod Ahmed Ghazi, Professor of the College of Islamic Studies, Qatar University, Qatar, presented his paper on “Clash of Civilization and World Peace”; Dr. Mustafa Al-Zabbakh, Director, General Secretariat for Association of Muslim World Universities, presented paper on “Value Reference for Protection against Environment Dangers” and Dr. Ali bin Sakr Ozek, President of the Foundation for Research in Islamic Sciences, Turkey, presented a paper on the “Common Ground of Family and Morality.”

There were Questions & Answers sessions after every session.

The Makkah Al-Mukarramah Appeal
At the conclusion of the Conference, the participants issued The Makkah Al-Mukarramah Appeal recommending to form an international Dialogue Commission, Establish King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz’s International Centre for Civilization Interaction, create King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz’s Award for Civilization Dialogue and conduct conferences and symposiums and meetings of research groups on dialogue among followers of Revealed Messages, Civilizations and cultures as well as considerable philosophies to which academic and media personnel as well as religious leaders representing various international cultures are invited to participate in.