Final Communique Conference On Islam is a Message of Peace and Moderation
Final Communiqué Conference On "Islam is a Message of Peace and Moderation"
Mina Islamic Sanctuary
Muslim World League
12 Dhulhijja 1437H ( 13 September 2016)
All Praise be to Allah alone and peace and blessing be upon the one after whom there is no Prophet, our Prophet Mohammad, his household and companions.
In these blessed days of Mina, and on its pure soil, the prominent Muslim scholars, hosted by the Muslim World League (the League) to perform Hajj as its guests during this year's Hajj (1437AH-2016AD), have met at a Conference on "Islam is a Message of Peace and Moderation", organized by the league in cooperation with the International Organization for Muslim Scholars at the sacred site in Mina Islamic Sanctuary on 12 Dhulhijja 1437H ( 13 September 2016). Within the framework of the Event's sub-themes, the participants have thoroughly discussed the Islamic work they undertake as well as the word of truth they firmly upholding, and whose responsibility is considered grave , and particularly becomes an added awesome task in these sacred days, in sacred month, and at the Holy Haram.
At the beginning of the conference, H. E. Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Alissa, Secretary General of the Muslim World league (The League) and the Chairman of the Board of the Directors of the "International Organization for Muslim Scholars" and Vice- Chairman of its General Conference, delivered his inaugural speech, in which he highlighted the significance of enhancing promoting the causes of Islamic unity and brotherhood. Furthermore, he has stressed the necessity of reflecting the Islam's peaceful and international message in its moderate dimension and methodology must be reflected on our behavior as individuals and institutions.
His Excellency has indicated that Hajj carries many lessons, the topmost of which is drawing the attention to the significance of adopting a united discourse and row under one single banner, symbol and motto; which is Islam. This must be coupled with renouncing reprehensible division and disagreement as well as transcending narrow slogans, concepts, labels and descriptions, which divide, not unite us; and breakup relations, not bridge the rift. Further, H. E. emphasized that the immunity of the Ulama will be strengthened through coherence and solidarity. ; and that Muslim scholars (Ulama) must be mindful of the risks of classification and exclusion, since these elements are but the product of extremism and an environment for classification of Muslims as disbelievers for mere intellectual disagreement (Takfir process).
Following his speech, the Secretary General of the League called on all the scholars participating in this Event to present their scholarly works on the respective sub-themes. Consequently, and at the deliberations and through the topics presented, the following resolutions and recommendations have been decided :
Firstly: The participants have applauded the outstanding Islamic services provided to the pilgrims of the Sacred House of Allah, as this facilitated for them the performance of their Hajj ritual in security, tranquility and peace of mind. After thanking Allah for His divine blessings, the participants conveyed their profound thanks and appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Masjids King Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud for the Islamic glorious service that Allah helped him to render rendered to the Two Holy Masjids.
Secondly: The participants asserted the universality of the Islamic message which calls for peaceful coexistence, and human cooperation with all beings. They confirmed that this message carries the principles of tolerance and moderation,; and allows for adopting the great meanings pertaining to honouring of the sons of Adam and the compassion granted to them. Additionally, they underlined that Sharia (Islamic Law ) urged – within the framework of its human aims – due kindness to every living creature, be it man or beast.
Thirdly: The participants stated that the Muslim World League's speech delivered during the reception at the royal palace in Mina Ritual this year 1437H, has included that the concepts of Islam has strongly warned that any slogan, label or description other than Islam must be shunned. However, it also comprised that when we limit the Sunna of Islam and a group of Muslims to only descriptions of certain individuals or affiliations, or particulars Islamic schools, we summarize Islam - the encompassing Islam; Islam of tolerance, accommodation, breadth and history- into mere limited concepts and narrow ideas, which will only open in the body of religion a loophole through which personal interests and whims infiltrate and such tendency keeps others outside the realm of the religion . Moreover, the said speech emphasized that the way for keeping alive the association among Muslims is to vigorously awaken their intellects as well as set them on the quest of a free, independent, and conscious thought guided by the principles of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. .
Fourthly: The participants have warned against any block that leads Muslims away from their umbrella banner in order to divide their rank and word, penetrate their row and contradict their Islamic Message, which promotes peace and moderation. They have also indicated that the history of Islam hasn't recorded any gathering that expelled any one of them away from their Sunnah community; and that the dragging towards these slippery grounds constitutes pernicious precedents for Islam and Muslims. Furthermore, they stressed that for the newly created classification of Islam, there are dangerous requirements, which represent the spark of terrorism in the discourse promoted by those adopting " the principle of branding as infidels Muslim individuals with whom they merely disagree intellectually- "Takfeer process"". However, the participants underlined that the "Wisdom of Islam", erudite knowledge enjoyed by Muslim scholars, the awareness of Islamic preachers and intellectuals, are perceived above all such matters, as these sagacious individuals are cautious about the consequences of such ominous discourse.
Furthermore, those, accused of excluding certain Islamic schools and ideologies away from the circle of Sunnah and majority Muslim community, were the ones , who cerebrated and applauded in the past and present, the pioneers of these schools and ideologies in their respective academic institutions. Hence, they so that they can contribute to teaching students the Islamic curriculums of these schools and discussed their academic dissertations. Thus, the participants confirm that any attempt to deviate from such wide horizon of religion is nothing but confined only to individuals, institutions that are recognized only by themselves as groups that commit acts similar to those perpetrated by others.
The Conference also reaffirmed that, any discourse, that fails to observe the principles of the Islamic etiquette and manner of disagreement or carries exclusive contents , represents the one who issued and adopted it; and that it has negative impact on Muslims or their umbrella institution (Muslim World League). However, counter discourse, is described as misleading discourse (one) , if it borrows the formula of terrorism and explosion. Similarly, the participants drew the attention that it is significant that Muslim scholars, preachers and intellectuals should enjoy the forgiveness that makes them more inclined to accept and benefit from whatever issued by others with a view to enriching dialogue and discussion in its good, acceptable and beneficial framework.
Furthermore, the participants have indicated that certain historical writings might have been recorded by authors, with superficial knowledge about Sharia (Islamic law) sciences and literature. This situation made them formulate their historical records with errors, sayings and terminologies that are variance with both facts and Sharia (Islamic law); and that the responsibility pertaining to such writings must only be shouldered by the very ones who actually wrote them. Moreover, resorting to passing judgment on Muslims as a whole based on individual Muslim scholars, preachers and intellectuals or their institutions, should be considered on the light of the article written by the authors from their sources. However, in case of the presence of problematic situation or suspiciousness in the contents of these articles, they should be referred to those who compiled them or to those who inherited the knowledge of respective scholars. For, this is the guidance of the Qur'an in confirming matters by referring them to trustworthy authorities. It has to be taken into consideration that some of those whose literature is counted as part of Islamic science represent only themselves; and it is known that everyone isn't infallible except the Prophets and Messengers of Allah , especially in regard to the information they convey from Allah Almighty to their respective peoples.
Fifthly: The participants have stressed that the currently circulating names regarding certain academic Islamic schools are merely descriptive; and are not taken as substitute for the name of Islam and its comprehensive umbrella; and the expansion in the usage of these by those who created them or others only enhances the erroneous concept on them, in addition to their competition with the very name of Islam, with which Allah named the religion to which Muslims affiliate.
Furthermore, the participants underlined that Muslim individuals of the Muslim Ummah are not in deed of the fabricated expansive attitudes in religion affairs, whose dialectical nature is fully comprehended only by those who are well-versed in their discussion sessions. The participants also stressed that ordinary Muslims are on their true religion , and that they are not required to know all these innovative digressions dialectical, which do nothing other than spoil the purity of the religion in their hearts and affect their natural instinct and desired harmony among them.
Sixthly: The participants have warned individuals against violating the etiquette of Dawah, dialogue and advice ; and drew the attention to the danger of badly or hastily written articles , statements and phrases that describe Muslims who observe righteous methods and schools of thought with evil words that have no value except promote instigation among Muslims as well as disputing with each other via exchanging words of misleading, adopting un-Islamic innovatively created ideas or describing each other infidels for mere disagreement on intellectual bases. What is most essential is that we should guide the authors of such misleading literature, who are described as the fuel of sedition (Fitna), disunity as well as those who instigate the foolish and ignorant to follow the venue of terrorism with this transgression and deviated articles improvisation; and that the freedoms recognized by Sharia (Islamic law) have their own system that protects against sacrilege, falsification, sowing the seeds of evils and sedition (Fitna).
In this connection, the participants warned of the danger of the discourse of hatred and instigation; and confirmed that the Muslim individual feels happy for any good deeds enjoyed by all people as his call to other people to embrace Islam follows the guidance set by Allah Almighty in the following three verses ( So by mercy from Allah, (O Muhammad ), you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude "in speech", and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter) Qur'an 3:159 ; and (Invite people your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation) Qur'an16: 125; and (Allah doesn't forbid you from those who don't fight you because of your religion and do not expel you from your homes- from being righteous towards them and acting justly towards them. Allah does love those who act justly ) Qur'an 60:8. Similarly the following two Prophet Hadiths should be followed in Dawah. The Holy Prophet " blessing and peace be upon him" said, " Make things easier for people and don't make them difficult for them; give good tidings to people and not repel them" . He also said, " You can't contain people with your funds ; you should meet them with smiling faces and good manners." More importantly, Islam has spread all the world over for nothing but its promotion of justice, good deeds, kind words, setting good example for people, liberation of minds and for kind dealing with people for attracting their hearts towards the religion and its followers.
Seventhly: The participants stressed that the people of knowledge and faith are those with the most comprehension and assimilation for the law of Allah in His creation, in the aspects of difference, diversity and plurality; and that those people wholly believe in the necessity of coexistence with all ; and they asserted that only those with lesser knowledge and befuddled understanding are in denial of this universal law of Allah.
Eighthly: All participants stated that terrorism has no religion or nation; and that it and has no relation at all with all Islamic association to the schools and methods despite of Muslims in all their diversity and plurality in accepted convergence and divergence aspects. Furthermore, they underlined those who promote terrorism are considered a misled and corrupt sect that described other Muslims disagreeing with it in intellectual matters as infidels , in extension to the methodology of their misled predecessors .
The conference commended the fair voices of non-Muslims that have stated that terrorism is a criminal propensity ; and that it is unrelated to any religion or nation; and that Islam is innocent of any association to these horrendous acts. The Conference, which underlined that terrorism is an unexpected event undertaken by certain followers of all religions, applauded in particular , cited in particular the just comment of the Vatican's Reference on the wake of the recent terrorist attacks that occurred in certain European countries.
The participants pointed-out that it significant that preachers should be aware that not to act impulsively, and not to ignite rapid feelings and deal with emerging issues and events with due knowledge and wisdom, not with ignorance and in haste. They asserted that these issues and events must be governed by Fiqh of priorities and comparisons and the ensuing consequences; and that these matters should be left to be tackled only by those whom Allah ordered to take up the responsibilities of these issues, not any other ones.
Ninthly: The participants stressed that despite the great importance of military actions against terrorism and the great successive losses inflicted on its perpetrators, we find that terrorism soon recovers its strength through its misguided message, an act that emphasizes that it is important to intellectually counter it .
Furthermore, the participants lauded the sincere efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which hastened to establish an International Center to counter extremist ideologies, as well as launch the historical call that resulted in the formation of an Islamic Military Alliance to coordinate between its member countries to fight terrorism militarily, intellectually and through media, in addition to the unification of efforts that aims to cut off its supplies and finance.
The Conference also commended the International Alliance that fights the hotbeds of extremism and terrorism and applauded the active Islamic role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it is considered the reference country to the Muslim-world, the axis to it leadership and the host of its holy places both as a "caretaker and sponsor". Thus, the participants indicated the contents of the inception document of the said Alliance explain that the war is waged only against terrorism and nothing else, because terrorism is an enemy whose evils has affected all mankind; hence it is necessary to take a forceful stand against it with every possible means that achieves warding off its evil schemes.
Tenthly: The participants have expressed their full support for the statement issued by the Muslim World League (The League) and International Organization for Muslim Scholars, an affiliate of the Muslim World League, which included the expression of the said two bodies for their deep concern for the issuance by the Congress in USA for a legislature (Act) titled " Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism", because the said legislature (Act) sharply and flagrantly contradicts the United Nations Charter, principles of international law, principles of international relations that are founded on the fundamentals of equality in sovereignty, immunity of state, mutual respect, non-imposition of internal law of a particular country on other countries. Furthermore, the participants indicated that the issuance of this Act will threaten the stability of the World order and shadows with suspicions the international dealings, in addition that such issuance may cause international economic harms; and that such Act will have many negative consequences and that it constitutes a significant precedent in the relations of nations. Moreover, the participants have expressed their sincere hope that the Legislative Authorities in USA won't ratify this Legislature, which will widely open the door for other countries to adopt similar Acts. Additionally, they emphasized that such tendency will negatively affect the international efforts made for the combat of terrorism and flagrantly violate the established international principles that are based on equality of sovereignty and immunity for countries. They added that this is in fact the condition on which matters have been settled on all international dealings since the inception of the United Nations. However, they confirmed that if such equality is violated, it will be negatively reflected on international dealings; for such violation carries within it elements that promote chaos and instability in relations among nations ; and that it will make the world order retreat ; and in this matter terrorism, which is now intellectually besieged, will find in such retreat a new pretext for misleading people with its objectives.
Eleventhly : The participants strongly denounce the statements issued by certain Iranian officials and theorists of its sectarian the directions regarding their flagrant intervention in Hajj affairs in the context of their annual customary activity, which fell short of even elevating itself to the higher objectives of Islam. The participants indicated that by such intervention Iran usually repeats from time to time its successive defeats in dividing the rank of Muslims via applying frustrated attempts to penetrate the unity of Muslims' word and destroy their slogans in order to direct them to follow alien ones (slogans) and calls, that divide, and not unite, inflame and not gather, with a view to deepening hatred and inflaming sedition (Fitna). They stressed that Iran has gained nothing from the above except that it has become bad omen upon whoever penetrated by its sectarian policy, because the country's name (Iran) was organically linked to areas of conflict, focal points of inflammation and terrorism. Finally they underlined that it seems that the exhortation of history at its very soil and in other places has only increased Iran in deterioration in its misleading and continuation in its adventures.
Issued at Mina Islamic Sanctuary on 12 Dhulhijja 1437H ( 13 September 2016)
