Conference emphasises “moderate Islam”

Important figures from the Muslim world and from Muslim communities in the West called for the creation of “global institutions to propagate the voice of moderation in the world” at a three-day conference that concluded yesterday in Amman. The conference brought together Islamic scholars from all over the world to share their ideas on ways to promote a culture of tolerance and to defend Islam against extremist ideology. Marwan Faouri, president of the Moderation Assembly for Thought and Culture, which organised the conference, was quoted in the local press as saying the event was meant to correct distorted images of Islam and refute the arguments of extremists. According to Faouri, the conference was a continuation of King Abdullah's ongoing campaign aimed at reintroducing Islam as a faith of moderation, understanding and dialogue. In 2005, the kingdom hosted an International Islamic Conference that sought to challenge the precepts of “takfiri” ideology, the advocates of which are known for accusing other Muslims of apostasy over relatively minor doctrinal differences. Speakers at the recent event emphasised the view that moderation was the essence of true Islam. “Islamic creeds require us to accept the other, to respect all prophets and to refrain from taking extremist approaches,” said Ahmad Kubaisi, a leading Iraqi scholar. President of the Higher Shiite Council in Lebanon, Sheikh Abdul Amir Qablan, said the Muslim Prophet Muhammad was the first historical personage to call for moderation, a concept “that is synonymous with integrity, balance and respect of the other”. In addition to the establishment of a proposed “Global Forum for Moderation in Islam”, other measures proposed by conference participants included the launch of a satellite television channel to campaign for the notion of “moderate” Islam. Conference delegates, including representatives of the five major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, also called for dialogue between various Islamic sects “in order to arrive at common ground that would enable Muslims to face challenges at the global level”, according to a final statement. “I totally reject the sectarian fighting in Iraq at a time when we need to join efforts to unify the nation and confront the takfiri ideology,” Kubaisi stressed. Saadeddine Othmani, secretary general of Morocco's Justice and Development Party, however, noted that “promoting the ‘moderate stream’ of Islam doesn’t mean surrendering to those who attack Islam”. Rather, it “seeks reform in the fields of education, politics, culture and thought, while encouraging dialogue and interaction with the rest of the world”. Participants also denounced “Zionist efforts to distort the true image of Islam” by representing it as a religion that encourages violence and the killing of innocents. As part of the campaign, Muslim scholars will monitor the way Islam is portrayed in western educational institutions.