by Mohammad Ghazal | Aug 19, 2013 |
JORDAN TIMES

AMMAN — Muslim scholars on Monday said dialogue and consensus among the Arab and Islamic nations are crucial for unity and overcoming pressing challenges facing the Ummah.

At the opening of the 16th General Conference of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Academy for Islamic Thought, the scholars said there is a need for resorting to reason and wisdom at present among the nations of the region, which is going through “serious” conditions and developments.

They also highlighted the role of the Amman Message, which was issued in 2004 upon directives by His Majesty King Abdullah to counter religious extremism, eradicate misconceptions and reintroduce to the world the human and peaceful nature of Islam, stressing that the message provides a recipe to address the pressing challenges at present.

In an address at the opening of the event, HRH Prince Ghazi, chief adviser to the King for religious and cultural affairs and the King’s personal envoy, said if the difference between the majority and consensus was clearly addressed, it would have been possible for the Muslim Ummah to overcome half of the problems witnessed over the past three years.

If there was a consensus in Egypt, Iraq and Syria for example between all segments of society, conditions would not have reached the current stage, the prince said at the opening of the three-day event where he deputised for King Abdullah.

In the West, he said, states are built on unanimous agreement, and then governments change by majority decisions.

Muslims are divided and they have resorted, in some countries, to suppression, violence, bloodshed and intra-religious sectarian division. Some have revolted against rulers without evidence that these rulers have shown clear apostasy, referring to a tradition by Prophet Mohammad, saying that members of the Muslim community cannot revolt against their leaders except when they commit blatant violations of the teachings and doctrines of Islam.

Prince Ghazi also referred to intra-religious sectarian strife in the Muslim world, adding that all these phenomena have pushed the Islamic Ummah into “blind fitna [division and strife]”.

Addressing the attendees that included some 100 Muslim scholars from about 35 countries, the prince urged them to concentrate on four major issues: modern state, compatibility between Islam and democracy as applied in the West, monarchy in Islam, along with capitalism and consumerism.

Muslims have reached a stage where they have become selective when it comes to religion, he said, picking what suits them to justify their thoughts and goals, he added.

The issue of conformity between Islam and democracy needs to be addressed, especially since many Muslims started to believe in democracy as the sole acceptable political system, he added.

The prince said he was looking forward to the outcomes of the conference, as the scholars are expected to define how a modern and sustainable Islamic state should look like.

Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Abdulaziz Altwaijri said the Amman Message is a groundbreaking initiative, stressing that it is important to adopt the principles and values of the Amman Message to overcome sectarianism, prejudice and terrorism.

“There is a need for rationalism, wisdom, tolerance, justice and respect of each other to addressing pressing issues facing the Arab and Muslim nations,” he added, noting that the message provides answers to these issues.

The Arab and Muslim worlds are going through grave developments, which makes it a must to resort to reason, he added.

“Scholars in the Arab and Muslim worlds, as well as leaders, shoulder a great responsibility at this stage to foster unity among the people and save them from fitna and sectarianism in light of the ongoing developments in the region,” he said.

Ali Gomaa, former mufti of Egypt, called for unity and solidarity among all segments of society in the Arab and Muslim worlds to overcome present challenges.

SOURCE: http://jordantimes.com/muslim-scholars-meet-in-amman-to-address-key-controversies

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