Moslems brought immeasurable cultural contribution to modern civilization, OIC chief
Regional, Politics, 4/16/2003

Islam is a religion of peace, and Moslems have brought an immeasurable contribution to universal culture that constituted the bedrock of modern civilization, Secretary General of the Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Abdelouahed Belkziz, said on Tuesday.

Belkziz, who was speaking at an international symposium held in Tunis on Islam and Peace, said Moslems believe in the monotheist messages of other prophets that preceded Islam, which is a clear indication that they believe in cultural diversity and inter-civilizations communication. The Secretary General recalled that Islam abolished ethnic and racial clashes, has established egalitarianism and preceded others in the call for dialogue. Nevertheless, Islam is accused of intolerance, warmongering, terrorism and advocacy of death and martyrdom, deplored Belkziz, wondering whether this is a new rise of the Islam-phobia phenomenon in the West that had started at the time of crusades, or we should just look for the flaw in ourselves and in the image we reflect about Islam. Do we really aggress others or are we the ones who are aggressed? he went on.

The OIC Secretary General urged for using all means to narrow the gap between Moslems and others through a scientific methodology that builds on shared points and points of convergence between Western and Moslem values. This can also be made by exploiting forums of cultural dialogue, extending dialogue and perpetuating the thesis of civilizational convergence. Civil society institutions can play a crucial role in this drive, each one in its own field of competence, he underlined. In our quest for peace, we should seek the help of our counterparts, i.e. pious people in other religions to understand their political and religious dialogue and decipher the reasons of their standpoints towards us, he added. The Secretary General said we should incite the other, particularly the West to conduct a similar self-criticism, to review its standpoints concerning Islam on the light of the current of values in order to reach the long-sought intercultural convergence and harmony.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian Council supports idea of amending Arab League Charter   (4/15/2003)
  Joint Arab security system will be set up   (4/15/2003)
  Arab Labor Organization denounces war in Iraq, Palestine   (4/15/2003)
  Moroccan press stresses UNO future depends on role in Iraq   (4/15/2003)
  De Villepin stressed on the necessity to achieve peace in the Middle East and in Iraq   (4/14/2003)
  Situation of Muslims in the West Worsened since September 11 Events   (4/9/2003)
  Islamic group decide to take Iraq crisis to UN General Assembly   (3/31/2003)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search