Jordan Times
Sunday, July 3, 2005
Islamic conference delegates call for confronting challenges facing Muslim world
AMMAN (Petra) — Delegates arriving in the capital to take part in the first International Islamic Conference highlighted the importance of the event in reestablishing Islam's relations with the human community on solid grounds.
In remarks upon his arrival, head of foreign relations at the Russian Federation's shura council, Roshan Abbasov, said the meeting seeks to strengthen ties between Muslim nations and bolster efforts in dealing with problems facing Muslims around the world.
Anas Shaqfeh of the Austrian Arab Muslim Council, who is also in Amman to participate in the four-day gathering, said standing up to challenges facing the Muslim world, such as linking Islam to terrorism, necessitate that Muslim scholars promote interfaith dialogue, which, he said, is an urgent issue.
Mahmoud Reeh of the Libyan International Islamic Missionary Society said it was the right time to confront libel campaigns against Islam and Muslims around the world, adding that specialised media outlets should be established to serve the purpose “with reason and calm dialogue.”
The conference, held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah, seeks to mend the distorted image of Islam around the world by spreading a more authentic universal message of Islamic tolerance and civility, the very aspects preached by the Amman Message.
The document, which was issued in November last year and translated into several languages and distributed all over the world, spells out Jordan's understanding of Islam as a religion that rejects violence and promotes dialogue and constructive interaction with other cultures.
The event is a continuation of systematic efforts initiated by the Kingdom last year to present to the world the true picture of Islam as a major contributor to global civilisation.
The theme of the conference revolves around “true Islam and its role in modern society.” More than 170 Muslim clerics, thinkers and historians will discuss some 45 working papers addressing related issues.