Faces Of Islam

faces of Islam Published on the Occasion of the 11th Summit Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Dakar, Senegal, March 13-14, 2008.

Senegal, Islam, and the Role of Dialogue President Abdoulaye Wade

Teranga

President of the Republic of Senegal

It is with pride, immense pleasure, and honor that Senegal has been entrusted with the organisation of the 11th Summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. This honor is shared with the entire African continent. And Senegal, via our National Agency for the OIC, has been proud to respond to the Islamic Oummah (world Muslim community) in the great tradition of Senegalese hospitality – teranga.

• Teranga: Welcoming Remarks. HE Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, page 2.

with the requirements of the 21th century. The nature of the questions being discussed at the OIC Summit require intense and thorough debate and reflection.

Senegal’s Islamic history is over 1100 years old, dating back from when the Almoradives arrived in the north forming the first Islamic region south of the Sahara. Subsequent centuries witnessed the creation of various Moslem confraternities, the Quadria, the Tidjania, and the Mouridia, all distinct confessions of Islam. Religious tolerance and cohabitation has always been anchored in Senegal’s soul. In a country that is 95% Moslem the then-President Léopold Sédar Senghor, who was Catholic, defeated his Moslem opponent, me, in the presidential elections of 1978. The Senegalese people as responsible voters were blind to religion. As a democracy, Senegal is living proof that loyalty to both democratic principles and religious traditions and faith is wholly compatible.

The Islamic world will be obliged to emerge with renewed organisational strength and the ability to act swiftly as a major constituent of the global community. The fight against poverty must be a priority by fostering education and training and fortifying our collective human resources.

Regarding Islam, we face great challenges today – the dangers of ethnocentricity and Islamophobia, of transborder criminality, of terrorism, clandestine immigration, internal conflicts, and environmental disruption. The Oummah must remain in phase page 2

has been published for international distribution with the intention of helping to reinforce global understanding and appreciation of some of the core concepts and values of Islam and which are inherent in the many, positive, creative, and dynamic activities and projects fostered and promoted by Muslims and the Islamic community around the world. These contemporary initiatives include the fields of Islamic banking and finance, micro credit, public health, higher education and knowledge acquisition, the emerging Halal industry, world peace initiatives, communications and multi-media, science, food and medicine, combating poverty and social injustice, advancing the role of professional women in Islamic society, and others.

Contents:

The choice of Senegal is greatly significant at a time in the world when the need for constructive dialogue is urgent.

And this is what I wish to share with the international community today. This is Senegal’s legacy to global peace, the Senegalese model of religious tolerance. Dakar shall be available for constructive dialogue at all times for all peoples. In fact, we have been planning a major conference an Islamic-Christian Dialogue in Dakar, designed to bring together leading political leaders – not clerics – from the Islamic and Christian communities. Our task is not to debate religion itself – that is for the worlds’ theologians — but to discuss precisely how to create conditions favorable in our societies for peaceful, respectful, tolerant co-habitation between and among our different religious communities. I can think of no long-term issue more pressing and important in the world today than this one.

faces of Islam

Arab nations have responded positively and swiftly in supporting the Numerical Solidarity Fund to bridge the Digital Divide which has impeded knowledge in all fields of science and technology from being shared equitably. We are on the brink of being able to contribute to the advent of a reinvigorated, inter-connected, and inter-dependent global Islamic community. Collectively, we will be able to encourage innovative modes of financing and reap new levels of potentiality. With its enormous human resources and its immense natural richness, the African continent should not remain in a state of permanent need, locked in a vicious cycle of assistance and debt. As I told African ministers earlier this year in preparation for the OIC Summit, the Islamic Oummah is for Africans not only a space of solidarity and spiritual and cultural identity, but a framework of privileged partnership and economic and commercial exchange. So, both as part of a pro-active and dynamic Islamic community, and as a tolerant African nation, on behalf of Senegal I welcome you to a dialogue on the largest issues that concern us all. Teranga. p

• A Conversation with the OIC Secretary General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, pages 4-9. • The Chaff and the Wheat about Islam, Dr. Hassan Hathout, pages 10-12. • OIC member nations, pages 14-15. • Diversity in Islam: Celebrated or Denied, Ambassador Saaddin Al-Tayyib, pages 16-17. • from Building Ethical Values and Accountability, Professor Mohd. Kamal Hassan, pages 18-19. • from Islam and Other Faiths Brotherhood and Peace, Dr. Mohamed S. El-Awa, pages 20-21. • Message from the Kuwait Fund, page 22.

Special thanks for their valuable assistance: Dr. Isam Salim Shanti, Maha Akeel, Hassan Ba, Weta Design, The Kuwait Fund, and the OIC. © Faces of Islam, 2008. Printed in South Africa. All Rights Reserved. To receive additional copies, send an email to [email protected].

A Discussion with Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference – the largest and most significant organisation in the world representing the Muslim world with its 57 member states and some 1.5 billion Muslims, is conducting its 11th Summit in Dakar, Senegal on March 13 and 14. What are the OIC’s objectives for this historic Summit in Dakar?

There are also some accompanying activities to the Summit including the first NGO and civil society conference by the OIC scheduled for March 7-8. This is significant because it focuses on the role of civil societies in the Member States and how to enhance their work, which is also one of the OIC’s new initiatives and goals. page 4

SG: Like any peace-loving community in the world, Muslims want peace, harmony, security and prosperity for everyone. For the OIC, we want to solve the conflicts in the Middle East and those involving other Member States and Muslim communities in order to bring about peace, security and progress in a just and sustainable way while establishing harmonious relationships with the rest of the world. It is important for the OIC to advance overall development in the Member States – political, economic and social development, including eradicating poverty and illiteracy – and to bridge the gap between developing and developed countries. This is the only way to curb radicalism and extremism – ensuring social justice and progress.

You have been actively involved in numerous Islamic initiatives around the world. In fact, few international leaders have been as pro-active in contributing to positive projects as you as the Secretary General of the OIC. And yet, the international, non-Muslim community often remains unaware of these efforts. What would you consider to be the most promising current Islamic initiatives?

SG: The Islamic Summit is held every three years, where the leaders of the Member States share their views and visions of the state of the Muslim Ummah (community). The Summit in Senegal comes after the landmark Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Makkah in 2005, which set the framework for development and progress in the Muslim world with the adoption of the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action. The Program has transformed the OIC into a reliable active partner in the international community in furthering peace, security and development, and the Senegal Summit re-emphasizes this aspect. Furthermore, the Makkah Summit established a new vision with specific goals and objectives in all fields based on the principle of “Solidarity in Action,” and the Summit in Senegal re-invigorates the commitments made by the Muslim leaders for achieving these goals. So, the Islamic Summit in Dakar on March 13-14 is a major step of transforming the OIC into an international forum for development and bridging the gap between the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the rest of the world. It is a kind of major South-South cooperation framework.

SG: Let me respond to that by breaking these down into four main areas: peace brokering, stimulating the economies of Islamic countries, health initiatives, and promoting the knowledge society.

1) Peace Brokering

Photo by Ernesto, 2007.

Specifically, the agenda of the Summit in Senegal has four main objectives. The first is the implementation of the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action where there will be a report on what has been achieved in the past two years. The second and very important item is adoption of the revised OIC Charter, which will mark a major development in the role of the OIC as an international and inter-governmental organisation. The two other items of the agenda are two brainstorming sessions on economic cooperation among Member States, especially African, and knowledgesharing among Member States.

The Muslim world today is faced with a number of complicated and extremely important challenges. How would you characterize these and what are the most important objectives for the OIC and the Muslim world in 2008 on a global level?

The OIC has taken several initiatives and has been involved in efforts to broker peace in various conflict areas making positive contributions including in Palestine, Iraq and Thailand. A very important peace-brokering initiative by the OIC is in the Philippines between the government there and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Muslim group seeking autonomous rule in southern Philippines. After years of armed struggle for independence, the government and MNLF signed an OIC-sponsored peace accord in 1996. However, after 11 years of the agreement which stipulated political, economic, and social provisions, southern Philippines remains economically underdeveloped and the area did not attain the type of autonomous government stipulated in the agreement. The OIC is now engaged with the Philippine government and the MNLF in reviewing the implementation of the peace agreement and working with the two sides on resolving the issues of contention that has hampered peace and prosperity in southern Philippines.

2) Stimulating the Economies in Islamic Countries The OIC has done a lot in the area of the economy because it considers that economic development is a vital source for social development and peaceful relationships among peoples and among governments. The 3rd OIC Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Makkah in 2005 set specific goals for the economic sector of the OIC Member States, mainly the enhancement of intra-OIC trade, business cooperation, sustainable development and poverty alleviation. The OIC Ten-Year Program of Action adopted at the Summit set a target to increase intra-OIC trade from the 13% it experienced in 2005 to 20% by 2015, and we are on our way to achieving that goal by establishing the Trade Preferential System among OIC Member States as well as the Preferential Tariff Scheme. We have also developed a five-year plan for developing tourism in the Member States, which shall be approved this year at the 6th ministerial meeting of tourism. We are of course keen on encouraging the private sector to play a major role in the economic development and investment in the Member States. In this regard, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), which is the financial arm of the OIC, established the International Trade and Finance Corporation with a capital of $3 billion and a subscribed capital of $700 million. The OIC is also engaged in developing special projects, for example, energizing trade and investment in the cotton sector with a view of adding value to cotton and increasing the revenue of cotton producers by improving production efficiency and raising competitive standards in the OIC cotton producing countries. In addition to that, the OIC has launched special programs and projects for economic development in Africa including the Project to Establish Green Spaces and Protected Areas in West Africa designed to develop eco-tourism there. The Makkah Summit also decided to establish the Poverty Alleviation Fund, which was officially launched in Dakar in 2007 and managed by the IDB, with a target amount of $10 billion in the form of a Waqf (endowment) whose proceeds will be used to finance projects.

3) Health Initiatives The Ten-Year Program of Action initiated a focus on health, and the First Conference of Health Ministers was held in Malaysia in June 2007. It focused on vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly polio and malaria, with the objective of reducing in the OIC Member States the mortality rate in children under 5-years of age. The conference discussed and proposed a strategy through comprehensive immunization programs and research and development programs for producing vaccines, technology transfer, and surveillance of types and rates of diseases. The OIC is cooperating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in eradicating polio in the Member States through funding of immunization campaigns, raising awareness and mobilizing support. These are just some of the projects we are involved with…

4) The Promotion of the Knowledge Society and Education Encouraging research and development has become a main objective for the OIC. The Muslim world faces a number of acute challenges, and the biggest is the competitive challenge to generate resources that rely mainly on knowledge production, dissemination and usage as well as on creativity and innovation. Among page 6

our target goals stated in the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action is to encourage R&D spending in the Member States so that it reaches 1% of each country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The most important projects in the field of higher education and technology are to improve and reform the academic institutions and curricula in all levels, linking postgraduate studies to the comprehensive development plans in the Islamic world, and facilitating academic interaction and exchange of knowledge and expertise. This should encourage creativity, research and development. We also have a project to select 20 universities from the OIC region to be elevated to the rank of the Top 500 World Universities. We are following up on the results of the World Summit on the Information Society which was last held in Tunis with a view to close the digital gap between the developed and developing states. This is crucial.

One of the most impressive economic areas of growth in the world today has been the Halal industry. How do you see the growth of Halal as a standard in much of the world. SG: The Halal industry is booming, and there is a growing demand for it not only in Muslim countries but also in non-Muslim countries where there are large Muslim populations. This is a positive thing because it is an issue stemming from religious sensitivities and confirms the identity of Muslims. I think the OIC, through its different institutions, has been encouraging the efforts of the private sector in developing the Halal industry. The International Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence) Academy is the proper institution to give the religious standing on it.

We often hear that much of the non-Muslim population tends to misunderstand Islam. What can be done to increase understanding and Islamic-Christian dialogue? SG: This question needs precision. It is an incorrect assumption that all non-Muslim populations in the world misunderstand Islam. The problem is mainly in the West and particularly in Europe. In Europe we have to differentiate between the common people and some groups of intellectual elites. The common people’s reaction stems from problems of adaptability by immigrants to the dominant culture in the European society, which is primarily due to the social background of the immigrants. In this there are examples of integration in countries like Germany and France and other European countries where second and third generation of immigrants have shown successful integration and some of them have succeeded in becoming a significant part of the political, economic and social leadership. It’s a matter of time and the right policies and opportunities. The main problem lies with sectors of the intelligentsia who have wrong notions of Islam and a hate for Islam, and this group is more radical, vocal and influential. Take the crisis created by the Danish cartoons since 2005. The publishing and republishing of these insulting, despicable, and hateful cartoons is presented as a case

of defending “European” freedom of expression, while in reality the whole issue is not about freedom of expression, which no one in the Muslim world is challenging. It is rather an abuse of that freedom. The relationship between Islam and the West should not be hijacked by extremists from both sides. The other side of the problem are socio-economic injustices, which fuel feelings of animosity and prejudice. Addressing this would further the cause of harmony and integration. As to what can be done to increase understanding, both sides have to work on several fronts including presenting the issues accurately to the media, revising education systems and text books, communicating with and embracing the youth, and fostering improved political will. But first and foremost, European intellectuals should be more democratic and tolerant towards Islam.

The OIC has clearly grown and changed as an organisation since its inception in the late Sixties. Can you share your views on this? SG: The organisation started from a mere secretariat for the purpose of organizing conferences into an inter-governmental organisation. In almost 40 years it has become second to the United Nations in number of member states with a host of subsidiary, specialized, and affiliate organisations including universities and research centers and a successful development bank. Now, with a new spirit and fresh objectives which emerged in 2005 at the Makkah Summit, the organisation is becoming a viable and vibrant instrument of cooperation among the Member States, as well as the spokesperson of the Muslim world, and an interlocutor in the international arena. One of the areas that the OIC is now advancing in a serious way is the humanitarian field. It is establishing a new department for humanitarian affairs, separating it from the political department in order to make it more active and efficient on the ground, especially following wide-scale disasters. This initiative has already born fruit with the OIC First International Donor’s Conference for Niger held in Qatar last year. Here, we were able to raise $370 million for the financing of three programs that aim to help Niger overcome its long standing drought and food shortage problem. Another successful humanitarian initiative is for supporting 25,000 children who were orphaned by the tsunami in Banda Aceh in Indonesia. There are several other humanitarian initiatives in the pipeline. Another recent focus of the OIC is women’s issues. The Ten-Year Program of Action has emphasized the empowerment of women politically, economically and socially and have included significant provisions for improving the health and education of women. The OIC organized the first ministerial meeting on women in Turkey in 2006 and the next one is expected later this year, which will consider a draft of the OIC Plan of Action for the Development of Women.

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Admittedly, many positive stories and highly beneficial initiatives coming from your member states in the Islamic world tend to be under reported in the international media or worse, obscured by terrorism and atrocities which contribute to many unfortunate misconceptions about Islam and the global Muslim community. No interview with the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference would be complete without a question on the role of moderate Islam today in combating this phenomenon. What is the role of moderate Islamic leaders in helping to combat terror in the world? And, are moderate Islamic organisations like yours doing enough? SG: Islam as a religion stands for moderation and compassion by definition and by its doctrine. What we see today is a manifestation of extremism and radicalism and violence attributed to Islam, when in reality these acts have no basis in the tenants of Islam or justification in its entire history. All these manifestations are a result of socio-economic, political, and geo-political reasons which prevail in certain societies where there is no freedom of expression, of association, or social mobility and political justice. Additionally, they are encouraged by the active leadership of certain marginal schools of thought. All these activities attribute themselves to Islam to try to gain legitimacy and acceptance where the populations are frustrated with their internal administrations and external interventions. The OIC as the voice of the Muslim world and the official representative of Muslims has always called for moderation, supported the dissemination of moderate views and is engaged in dialogue and presenting the correct Islam to the world. As Muslim society develops socio-economically, solves its illiteracy problems, and achieves prosperity and social development, extremism and radicalism shall be reduced as these improvements will dry up the breeding grounds for the groups that seek to corrupt the minds of the youth and seduce them into following false ideologies that only have a self-serving agenda. p

The Chaff and the Wheat about Islam Dr. Hassan Hathout In 1076, Pope Gregory VII wrote to the Muslim ruler Al-Nasir, “We believe in and confess one God, admittedly in a different way,” and emphasized the shared Abrahamic faith. In 1095, Pope Urban II characterized Muslims as godless people, infidels, dogs, chaff for eternal fire, etc… He was known as “Urban the Blessed” and was the one who called for the first Crusade. In 1965, Pope Paul VI mentioned in his Nostra Etate, “Upon Muslims too the Church looks with esteem, they adore the One God, our God, the God of Abraham with whom the Islamic faith is happy to associate itself and worship Him by prayers and almsgiving.” He also emphasized that although Muslims do not believe the sonhood of Jesus to God, they believe that he was the prophet and messenger of God and was supported by miracles. Muslims also love and respect his mother, the Virgin Mary. The late Pope John Paul II commented on the conclusion of the second millennium by saying that Christians had things to atone for in that millennium, citing the Inquisition, the Crusades, and the Holocaust. If the aforementioned conflicting views about Islam were expressed by Popes (supposedly infallible), then it must be that those views were in fact situational, although each exerted its influence on Christendom throughout history. It was not only Popes who regarded Islam so variably. Whereas Dante puts Muhammad in the deepest pits of hellfire, others grade him as number one of the hundred persons who positively influenced human history, and the British playwrite George Bernard Shaw expressed humanity’s need of a person like Muhammad, who would have had the ability to solve its problems while sipping a cup of coffee. These are but a few sporadic examples of what the minds of the people in the West are continually exposed to. It seems that unbridled human nature, however, has more affinity to cling to bad news and views rather than to look at them analytically or exert effort to verify them. Even in modern times when means of verification have become easy, a lie has a better chance to be believed by the masses if the proper technique is used. The examples are plenty and dramatic even in the highest circles. It is a pity that we pontificate to our children during their early years about the value of truth and honesty only to see them reverse direction as they grow up to be big politicians, business tycoons, and leaders. The media often lose their impartiality and their great efforts to reveal the truth are marred by situations where they actually deny or conceal page 10

it. It is sad to see the art of lying become such a sophisticated science, targeting even their own people. The Crusades in particular seem to have left such a permanent impression on the Western mind that the word “crusade” has been established in common use with positive connotations, whether by top politicians or by religious preachers. Then came the tragic events of 9/11 that shocked America and the whole world. All Americans including Muslim Americans were angered and saddened by the heinousness of the attack and the loss of innocent lives (including some three hundred Muslim victims). Although it was a crime perpetrated by a band of criminals who were Muslims, voices were raised incriminating all Muslims, including American Muslims. By and by, the accusations expanded to include Islam itself, the Prophet of Islam, and even the God of Islam. One has to admit, however, that on the whole, the American people have scored very high on the scales of tolerance and humaneness. I imagine that if 9/11 had happened anywhere other than America, rivers of blood would have flown and massacres would have been committed. The image of Islam in America has naturally suffered and with the selectivity of reporting by word or by picture from or about the Muslims in their countries, the image is naturally getting worse. On the other hand, one should realize that ordinary Americans have their excuse in thinking negatively about Islam, on account of what they read and watch. This negative image of Islam is lent support by the actions of those Muslims who exhibit criminal, atrocious, and disgusting behavior while claiming that they do it in the name of Islam. Any honest attempt to portray what Islam really is can only be successful if the reader can cast aside the curtains upon curtains of preconceived ideas. Preconceived ideas unfortunately tend to block the flow of new ideas. Muslims are part of the sector of humanity that believes that God is. God is infinite in all of His descriptions and power. Muslims do not entertain the question what was before him or who comes after him, for this would mean that He is finite. Muslims cannot understand infinity because we ourselves are finite. This is not religious jargon, but infinity is indeed a scientific fact that we teach in our math classes and refer to by a special signal ( OO ). It follows therefore that God is One whether you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, an agnostic, or an unbeliever. God is given various names in various languages such as: Allah in Arabic, Yahweh in Hebrew, Dieu in French, Theos in Greek, etc…The English language has no name and uses the word God with a capital G. God is also beyond gender and our reference to God as “He” is a matter of linguistic

usage, but not of gender. God created the universe, including our planet Earth. All atoms follow atomic laws. They combine to form molecules following chemical laws. Molecular complexity advances to the stage where nucleic acids can split and each half replenishes itself into a new molecule, actually signifying Life along its long course to higher animals. Biologically, we humans are the head of the animal kingdom, and yet many of us would be offended to be called an animal. The reason is that, although we share biology with animals, it is not our biology that makes us human beings, but another factor that is not derived from the earth. This factor is what we call the Spirit and is breathed into us from God Himself. It is this element that makes us eligible to identify good and evil and to have the willpower to observe God’s do’s and don’t’s even in the face of temptation. As humanity grew and life became more and more complex, humans were reminded by a long chain of messengers and prophets along human history. They reminded people that they are under continuous surveillance (by angels) and that if they can manage to get away with their sins during life, there will be a life after death where detailed reports are available and responsibilities are assigned. There has been a long chain of messengers (three hundred according to biblical sources) ending in what we call the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism (Moses), Christianity (Jesus), and Islam (Muhammad). Muslims don’t see them as alternatives but as a continuum. Even without reciprocity, the Quran (to Muslims, God’s very word) addresses Muslims saying, “The same religion God enjoined on you as the one He recommended to Noah, and this Quran we revealed to you, and that which we recommended to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, that you should uphold the faith and break-not your unity therein” (Quran 13:42). Islam calls Jews and Christians the “People of the Book,” since they are the recipients of the Torah and the Bible. The Quran describes Jesus as the messenger of God, His Word that He bestows on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. Also in the Quran, the angels tell Mary, “God has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you over the women of all nations” (Quran 3:42). As for the Jews, I will simply make one reference to the late Mr. Aba Eban, former foreign secretary of Israel, historian, and philosopher, who, in his epic book My People (also made into a television series), wrote, “Over their history, my people were treated with justice only twice: under the Muslims in Spain and recently in the United States of America. It was never under Muslim rule that the Jews met the repeated pogroms they suffered in Europe, concluded by Hitler’s Holocaust.” In the middle ages, when Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Jews from Spain (as collateral damage with Muslims), many of them went to Muslim lands. They were generously welcomed, and the Muslim Sultan mocked the Spanish monarchs by saying, “They impoverished their country and enriched mine.” It was not until the Palestinian issue that the relations soured, and we hope some solution agreeable to both Palestinians and Israelis will be reached at long last. Looking at Jerusalem through Jewish, Christian, or Muslim eyes, it is obvious that God meant it to be a converging lens of the three faiths and not a divergent one. Finding a solution to restore peace to the land of peace should be the concern of all three communities. However, it should not be a Versailles-like peace, because this would only be the prelude to further conflict.

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It is quite obvious to me that in America and the West as a whole, Islam is very much talked about and very little understood. To facilitate the matter to the western reader, I would liken Islam to a building composed of the foundation and three stories. The foundation is belief in and love of God, heeding Him all the time. The first floor is that of worship (prayers, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage to Mecca if affordable). The second floor is human relations and interaction with the environment. The third floor is a constitution (legal system) that is pliable to suit new times and situations. There is no clergy system in Islam (only scholarship), hence the conflict between church and state does not arise. The three floors are interconnected; the system is inclusive and takes care not to enforce on non-Muslim citizens anything that runs against their respective religions. It is the second floor that is important to us all and is practically the same as in Christianity, Judaism, and all other members of humanity who believe in goodness and human decency. Readers will ask why the problems of terrorism and the negative actions committed by Muslim perpetrators arise. We say that such phenomena are not confined to Islam and we invite the reader to widen his or her field of vision and consider the history of followers of the other religions, both in the past and in our present day. A study of terrorism in both the past and the present shows it to include Muslims, Christians, Jews, and practically human beings of all creeds and breeds. Yet the press often attaches the title “Islamic” only when the perpetrators are Muslims, omitting such characterization in other cases. Terrorism is a real and potentially devastating problem in our modern times. It is a pity to see the handling of the problem entirely relegated to politicians and their allies of the military-industrial complex, exactly what the late US President Eisenhower warned us against. It is also sad to note that our national budgets allocate far more for inflicting death than do they for educating and protecting life. The problem of terrorism should be handled in a scientific way. An international committee should systematically study all aspects of the problem and elucidate its predisposing factors, exciting factors, and early symptoms. Preventive management is certainly more valuable than therapeutic treatment. The aim of enlightened statesmanship is to turn your enemy into a friend and not just to kill him. This approach is an axial theme that should be adopted by all people of all nations and of all religions. The United States was founded on the idea of “Out of Many: One” and this should be its guiding light within and without its borders. The United States, physically and morally, should never allow itself to live behind an Iron Curtain. It should never ever allow itself to be tempted by the idea of “the survival of the fittest,” otherwise it will lose itself even if it wins its battles. p

Dr. Hassan Hathout is a professor at the Islamic Center of Southern California, and a former professor in the School of Medicine at Kuwait University.

OIC member nations Islamic State of AFGHANISTAN Member Since 1969 National Day 19/8

BRUNEI-DARUSSALAM

Arab Republic of EGYPT

Islamic Republic of IRAN

Member Since 1984 National Day 23/2

Member Since 1969 National Day 23/7

Member Since 1969 National Day 11/2

Republic of ALBANIA

BURKINA-FASO (then Upper Volta)

Member Since 1992 National Day 28/11

Member Since 1974 National Day 11/12

People’s Democratic Republic of ALGERIA Member Since 1969 National Day 1/11

Republic of AZERBAIJAN Member Since 1992 National Day 28/5

Kingdom of BAHRAIN Member Since 1972 National Day 16/12

People’s Republic of BANGLADESH Member Since 1974 National Day 26/3

Republic of BENIN Member Since 1983 National Day 1/8 page 14

Republic of CAMEROON Member Since 1974 National Day 20/5

Republic of CHAD Member Since 1969 National Day 11/8

Union of The COMOROS Member Since 1976 National Day 6/7

Republic of COTE D'IVOIRE

Republic of GABON

Republic of IRAQ

Member Since 1974 National Day 17/8

Member Since 1975

Republic of The GAMBIA

Hashemite Kingdom of JORDAN

Member Since 1974 National Day 18/2

Member Since 1969 National Day 25/5

Republic of GUINEA

Republic of KAZAKHSTAN

Member Since 1969 National Day 2/10

Member Since 1995 National Day 16/12

Member Since 1978 National Day 27/6

Republic of NIGER

Republic of SENEGAL

Republic of TUNISIA

Member Since 1969 National Day 18/12

Member Since 1969 National Day 4/4

Member Since 1969 National Day 20/3

Federal Republic of NIGERIA

Republic of SIERRA LEONE

Republic of TURKEY

Member Since 1972 National Day 27/4

Member Since 1969 National Day 29/10

Republic of SOMALIA

Republic of TURKMENISTAN

Member Since 1969 National Day 1/9

MALAYSIA Member Since 1969 National Day 31/8

Republic of MALDIVES Member Since 1976 National Day 26/7

Member Since 1986 National Day 1/10

Sultanate of OMAN Member Since 1972 National Day 18/11

Republic of MALI

Islamic Republic of PAKISTAN

Member Since 1969 National Day 22/9

Member Since 1969 National Day 23/3

Member Since 1969 National Day 1/7

Republic of The SUDAN Member Since 1969 National Day 1/1

Republic of SURINAME Republic of GUINEA-BISSAU

State of KUWAIT

Member Since 1974 National Day 24/9

Member Since 1969 National Day 25/2

Islamic Republic of MAURITANIA Member Since 1969 National Day 28/11

State of PALESTINE

Member Since 1996 National Day 25/11

Member Since 1969 National Day 1/1

Member Since 1992 National Day 27/10

Republic of UGANDA Member Since 1974 National Day 9/10

State of The UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Member Since 1972 National Day 2/12

SYRIAN Arab Republic Republic of GUYANA

KYRGYZ Republic

Member Since 1998 National Day 23/2

Member Since 1992 National Day 31/8

Member Since 2001 National Day 7/8

Republic of DJIBOUTI

Great Socialist People’s LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA

Kingdom of MOROCCO Member Since 1969 National Day 30/7

State of QATAR

Member Since 1972 National Day 17/4

Member Since 1972 National Day 3/9

Republic of UZBEKISTAN Member Since 1996 National Day 1/9

Republic of TAJIKISTAN Republic of INDONESIA

Republic of LEBANON

Member Since 1969 National Day 17/8

Member Since 1969 National Day 22/11

Republic of MOZAMBIQUE Member Since 1994 National Day 25/6

Kingdom of SAUDI ARABIA

Member Since 1992 National Day 9/9

Republic of YEMEN Member Since 1969 National Day 22/5

Member Since 1969 National Day 23/9

Republic of TOGO Member Since 1997 National Day 27/4

Diversity in Islam: Celebrated or Denied Ambassador Saaddin Al-Tayyib Civilisation is the story of adaptation both to a particular natural environment and to a political environment. Few people, if any, in human history have been so isolated that their civilisation evolved without confronting and overlapping with the civilisations of others. In today’s global world of instant communication and incredibly fast mobility, almost all societies have become interconnected and interlinked, no matter how remote or isolated. Massive waves of migration, unprecedented and easy movement of people and goods, and the fast flow of information through trade, business, tourism, and the internet have changed the face of all societies. As a result, diversity and multi-ethnicity have become a common feature and a fact of life in the modern world. Because of this new dynamism, Muslims in their hundreds of millions, have become an increasingly visible part of the fabric of many Western societies, and Islam has, consequently, become an integral part of the West’s cultural landscape. Such transformations have been the result of imperative economic and social needs brought out by the new realities that govern and move the world. The scope of this irreversible and historic trend, driven by the forces of globalization, will arguably continue to grow and increase. In a plural society with a positive social environment religious identity and racial identity are complimentary. Muslim identity need not clash with any other identity so long as ones commitment to Islam remains authentic. Tolerance is borne out of the very nature of Islam and leniency is deeply instilled in Islamic teachings, even in strictly legal matters. There is no denial that European enlightenment has enhanced the dignity of human beings and has disseminated the universal common values that human beings share irrespective of their religion, nationality, or ethnicity. Such values include the sanctity of life, human rights, democracy, rule of law, equality, cultural and religious diversity, tolerance, freedom of expression, etc. Proceeding from these premises, one would expect Western societies to live up to their promise of diversity and democracy. Yet, despite their claim to do so, many in the West still perceive Islam as a threat. The “them” and “us” dualism tends to dominate the Western psyche and continues to shape the attitude of contemporary Europe. Although Christianity and Islam belong to the same family of monotheistic faiths and beliefs, and although the message of Jesus Christ is rooted in Islamic teachings, Christianity in the West has often looked to Islam from an antagonistic view point. page 16

Hence, there is a pressing need to defend Islam from insulting attacks and falsehood. By the same token, Muslims in the West are in need of protection against the lifelong discrimination, harassment, prejudice, and smear campaigns against their self-identity, self-esteem, human dignity, and mental and physical abuse. Professor Peter O’Brien, a professor of Political Science at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, has explored the contemporary relation between Muslim immigrants and host countries in a talk about “public policy building” at UCLA, sponsored by “the Center for European and Eurasian Studies” and “the Center for Near Eastern Studies.” In considering the wave of xenophobia that has washed across Europe in the last decade, he cited a poll in which 33% of the Europeans polled described themselves as racist. He dismissed claims that neither economic hard times nor a response to 9/11 could explain the hostility to Muslim immigrants in Europe because unemployment was worse in the 1970s and had not generated xenophobia, and because xenophobia had begun before 9/11. In the view of Professor O’Brien, the European liberal tradition, from the time of Enlightenment in the 18th century, has rested on a credo of conversion to a common set of secular nationalist values. When this credo encounters a population that would not convert, like Muslims, that tradition reacts with hostility. Those who resist converting have been seen as critics and described as irrational and un-free. Many European governments have formulated policies on the premise that full assimilation of Muslims in Western societies is the goal. Integration is admittedly needed, as immigrants must adapt to their new environment. Both sides should appreciate each other’s circumstances and concerns. They should also endeavor to clarify the notion of the “other” through rapprochement, dialogue, and education. Although Western enlightenment has involved the celebration of universal values and a common human nature, it seems that the old enlightenment curriculum is a monoculture devoted to perpetrating the view of Western civilization as inherently superior to its rivals. Referring to the plight of Muslim immigrants in the West, German academic Gunter Grass has written in one of his articles that such a climate brings us

very closely to a point where we can ask “when the enemy has been dehumanized and portrayed as demonic and parasitical, what further justification is needed to persecute and finally exterminate it?” It is reassuring, all the same, that some in the West, like British scholar Jeremy HenzellThomas, still firmly believe that: “Xenophobia is the last refuge of those who are incapable of that expansion of the heart which enables us to engage with and to embrace the “other”, to welcome and love the stranger in our midst, and beyond that, to connect with the rest of humanity wherever they may be. True modernity, for us all, is to embrace the challenge of a connected world, to identify and dissolve the forms of parochialism which limit us.” There is a strong need, therefore, to stem the rising tide of Islamophobia, redress racial vilification, and shun religious defamation, simply because the diversity of our societies is our strength. Peace, security, and harmony can only be built on the twin pillars of respect and justice, in a world where all people feel safe and valued. p

Ambassador Saaddin Al-Tayyib is a leading Advisor to the Secretary General of the OIC.

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Building Ethical Values and Accountability Professor Mohd. Kamal Hassan

Education is undoubtedly the most important institution in the building of ethical values which contribute to the development of responsible, trustworthy and ethical personalities or citizens. Along with its goal of imparting knowledge, developing skills and moulding right attitudes, good and holistic education systems have always emphasised the importance of character development. However, as John Heenan states in Building Character Through Cornerstone Values, “it was only in the last decades of the twentieth century that educators moved from character education to what has become known as “values” education. Consequently, the idea that “teachers, parents or other adults should directly instruct children in right and wrong or even try to influence their values” was explicitly rejected. In Malaysia the national educational philosophy recognizes the importance of religious and moral education and it is incorporated as part and parcel of the primary and secondary school curricula. It is in the religious and moral education classes that ethical values are taught. The effectiveness of these classes, however, has been questioned by the public and a serious review is underway. Judging by the increasing rate of crime, environmental degradation and moral decadence in our industrialised and industrialising nations, it would appear that the power of human reason which produced the extraordinary scientific and technological advancements has failed to strengthen the moral conscience of contemporary societies. The lopsided education which prides itself in producing professional and technological skills is also witnessing the destructive consequences of not paying due attention to the moral and spiritual development of the citizens. The market forces’ emphasis on marketable skills and technical competencies as the most desirable educational products tends to minimise the importance of educating morally-oriented individuals, but the increase in white-collar crimes and corporate frauds has motivated many university authorities to introduce courses on ethics in business, engineering and other professional disciplines. It is interesting to note that according to a 1991 article in The Journal of Business Ethics the ethic of the 1980s revolved around “Social Darwinism – ‘survival of the fittest’ and ‘the strong are morally superior’; perversion of the Protestant ethic into a license to page 18

misbehave; greed; the desire to flirt with danger; and winning.” Other motives behind the “ethics crisis” of contemporary society are traceable to Machiavellian thinking – “expediency,” “ends justify the means,” materialism, and ethical relativism. Therefore, the economic and materialistic goals of education have to be integrated and balanced with the moral and spiritual objectives if it is to succeed in moulding the ethical citizen and “the moral society.” Although moral education is “woefully lacking in higher education,” some high schools in the United States have developed teaching guides for character education by focusing on ten core ethical values such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness/justice, caring, citizenship, honesty, courage, diligence and integrity (www. goodcharacter.com). In a society which subscribes to the doctrine of situational ethics or the ideology of moral relativism, the effectiveness of teaching the above as values per se is highly limited. It is almost as futile as trying to teach morality in an immoral society. “The lack of confidence in our nation’s corporations, and the corporate chicanery,” Julianne Malveaux writes in Black Issues in Higher Education “are both a function of the immorality that has always been an inherent part of our society, the implicit immorality and exploitation that comes from a capitalist form of economic organisation.” In the Malaysian context, values are normally regarded as founded on religious beliefs, in which the belief in God is paramount. This is reflected in the Rukun Negara (Pillars of State Ideology) and the Federal Constitution. Therefore, values are generally perceived as principles and it is possible to identify a cluster of core values/principles in our society consisting of the following: commitment to and respect for knowledge, wisdom and truth; faith and piety in God; obedience and love of parents; respect for elders and teachers; accountability to God and human authority; purification of the soul, and justice and fairness; responsibility and discipline; honesty, integrity and trustworthiness; compassionate and caring for the natural environment, the sick, the poor and children; courage and diligence in good deeds; and cleanliness in body and mind. These values/principles can be made more effective if they are conceived by people as a system of duties that good human beings and good citizens are obliged to fulfil. Duties can be divided into two parts – duties of commission and duties of omission. While the principles/duties of commission are aimed at creating a culture and an atmosphere conducive to ethical behaviour and awakening the ethical consciousness of one’s fellowbeings by word and deed, the principles/duties of omission are aimed at preventing

or abstaining from all forms of human activity that would lead or be conducive to the creation of conditions of immorality or unethical behaviour or illegal acts. The teaching and building of values and accountability to God and human authority in educational institutions – beginning with the family, then the school, the college, the university and finally, the work place – should involve the raising of consciousness that it is wrong, prohibited and sinful. In Islam, the doctrine of “enjoining the good and prohibiting the evil” (al-amr bi’lmacruf wa’n-nahy can al-munkar) incorporates the idea of complementing the values or principles of commission with the values or principles of omission. Both formal education and informal education in Muslim societies emphasize this moral doctrine but human as well as systemic failures and weaknesses make the doctrine ineffective in producing the moral society in which integrity is pervasive and paramount. In this era of globalisation and religious extremism, it is important for Malaysian education to promote also the values of patriotism, religious moderation and respect for racial, cultural and religious diversities. With economic and cultural globalisation, Malaysian institutions and political leaders may be controlled, manipulated or bought over by the forces of world hegemony. Integrity, loyalty and love for the nation above self are needed to act as a strong deterrence against the sinister forces of global dominance. The strengthening of the values of moderation and respect for the right to be different in a democratic society is essential to maintain the political stability and harmony of Malaysia’s multiracial and multi-religious society. Therefore, all schools, national or communal, public or private, in particular the religious or missionary schools and colleges, in a country such as Malaysia should incorporate the teaching of those values in the curriculum. The role of parents, teachers, lecturers and leaders as ethical role models and living examples of “towering personalities” in terms of high moral conduct, honesty and incorruptability cannot be underestimated in any educational system. p

Dr. Mohd. Kamal Hassan is a professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia.

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Islam and Other Faiths Brotherhood and Peace Dr. Mohamed S. El-Awa

‫ميحرلا نمحرلا هللا مسب‬ The Concept of Religion Throughout history religion has been abused and misunderstood. Some people use it as a means of exploitation and suppression, as a pretext for prejudice and persecution. Some other people use it as a source of power and domination over the elite and the masses alike. In the name of religion unjustifiable wars have been launched, freedom of thought and conscience has been oppressed, science has been persecuted, the rights of the individual has been denied, and in the name of religion injustice has been inflicted upon humanity with the result that religion itself has suffered many losses.

A fundamental element in the value system of Islam is the value of human brotherhood. Human brotherhood in Islam is based on an unshakable beief in the oneness and universality of God the worshipped, the unity of mankind the worshipper, and the unity of religion the medium of worship. For the Muslim, God is one, eternal and universal. He is the creator of all men, The Provider for all men, the Judge of all men, and the Lord over all men. To him, social status, national supermanship, and racial origin are insignificant. Before him, all men are equal and brothers of one another.

These are historical facts which no one can deny. But is this the proper function of religion or the right approach to religion? Could this be the purpose of religion? The indisputable answer is an emphatic no. There are many religions in the world, and each one claims to be the one and only true religion. Each religion is supposed to have come from God for the right guidance of man. But these claims contradict each other.

Muslims believe in the unity of mankind with regard to the source of creation, the original parentage, and the final destiny. The source of creation is God Himself. The original common parentage is that of Adam and Eve. To this first parentage, every human being belongs and of it he partakes. As for the final destiny, there is no doubt in the Muslim’s mind that it will be to God, the creator, to whom all men shall return.

The Islamic concept maintains that religion is not only a spiritual and intellectual necessity but also a social and universal need. It is not to bewilder man but to guide him. It is not to debase him but to elevate his moral nature. It is not to deprive him of anything useful, or to burden him, or to oppress his qualities but to open for him inexhaustible treasures of sound thinking and right action. It is not to confine him to narrow limits but to launch him into wide horizons of truth and goodness. In short, true religion is to acquaint man with God as well as with himself and the rest of the universe.

The Concept of Peace

True religion educates man and trains him in hope and patience, in truthfulness and honesty, in love for the right and good, in courage and endurance, all of which are required for the mastery of the great art of living. Moreover, true religion insures man against fears and spiritual losses, and assures him of God’s aid and unbreakable alliance. It provides man with peace and security and makes his life meaningful. That is what true religion means in Islam.

The individual who approaches God through Islam cannot fail to be at peace with God, with himself, and with his fellow men. Taking all these values together, putting man in his proper pleace in the universe, and viewing life in the Islamic perspective, men of good faith and principles cannot fail to make our world a better world, to regain human dignity, to achieve equality, to enjoy universal brotherhood, and to build a lasting peace. p

The Concept of Brotherhood O mankind, verily We have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female. And have made you into nations and tribes, that you may Know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous (49:13). page 20

To appreciate how Islam approaches the question of peace, one has only to consider a few elementary facts about Islam. Peace and Islam are derived from the same root and may be considered synonymous. One of God’s names is Peace. The concluding words of the daily prayers of every Muslim are words of peace. The greeting of the Muslims when they return to God is peace. The daily salutations among the Muslims are expressions of peace. The adjective “Muslim” means, in a sense, peaceful. Heaven in Islam is the home of peace.

Dr. Mohamed S. El-Awa is the Secretary General of the International Union for Muslim Scholars and Chairman of the Egyptian Socitey For Culture & Dialogue

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development The first development establishment in the Arab World

The foundation of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development was announced in December 1961 as an initiative of the late Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, who was then Minister of Finance. The Kuwait Fund became the first institution established by the State of Kuwait after its independence set up to grant financial assistance to Arab and Islamic countries in the world The foundation of the Fund at that early time established the State of Kuwait’s interest in helping developing countries by extending available loans necessary to execute economic and social development programs based on proper technical and economic requirements. The Fund built for itself a solid reputation among regional and international development establishments due to its significant role in the field.

In addition to the Fund’’s activities related to the granting of loans, the Fund also extends its technical assistance to finance exploratory studies designed to help evaluate the feasibility and productivity of specific projects. Since its foundation the provision of grants and technical assistance extended by the Fund has surpassed a total of 196 projects with a total value of over 320 millions US$.

The Kuwait Fund’s activities have increased in numbers and have branched out to include various parts of the world. The Fund actively contributes to development projects submitted by Arab countries as well as nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Its activities also include finance development projects in different sectors of national economies including transportation, telecommunications, agriculture, energy, industry, water and sewerage.

Kuwait Fund activities have not been limited to project financing. The Fund’s activities also tend to represent the State of Kuwait in regional and international development by participating in the reimbursement of the State of Kuwait’’s share in the capital of selected initiatives. By increasing available resources, the Fund is able to mobilize more loans for developing countries. The Fund’s subscribed participation in the capital of such initiatives now amounts to over 988 million US$.

www.kuwait-fund.org page 22

Organisation of The Islamic Conference

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