Jordan Times
Tuesday, July 5, 2005
King urges Muslim unity to
meet challenges
By Mahmoud Al Abed and Ahmad Barakat
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday urged clerics representing the eight
schools of Islamic jurisprudence to define common grounds between their groups
as a prerequisite to hammer out a unified stand to address the challenges facing
Islam.
"The divisions between the children of the Ummah [Islamic nation], acts of
violence and terrorism practised by some groups and organisations, ...
accusations of apostasy and the killing of Muslims in the name of Islam, do not
correspond to the principles and spirit of Islam, and Islam disavows them," the
King told 170 participants from 40 countries taking part in the first
International Islamic Conference (see full text of his remarks).
The King said "such practices generate turmoil and corruption on earth, because
they give justification to non-Muslims to judge Islam according to acts that
Islam disavows, and subsequently interfere in Muslims' affairs."
He further explained that division among the eight schools of Islamic
jurisprudence is one of the most important challenges facing Muslims. He urged
the followers of the different schools to acknowledge their similarities as a
basis for unifying Muslims. All schools are in agreement on the fundamental
principles of Islam and all agree on the foundations of Islamic belief, King
Abdullah said. He stressed that unity among these schools is also key to ending
the confusion with respect to the issuance of religious edicts, or fatwas, in
the Islamic world. "Acknowledgement of the schools of jurisprudence within Islam
would permit the emergence of a fundamental methodology in the issuance of
fatwas, and the definition of who is qualified for this undertaking," King
Abdullah told the conferees. The July 4-6 gathering brings together leading
figures representing Islam's eight schools, or Madhahib, which include the four
Sunni schools (Shafite, Malikite, Hanbalite and Hanafite) along with the Shiite
Jaafari school, Ibadi school and Zaydi school in addition to the Zahiri (Thahiri)
school.
Some fundamentalist approaches in the various sects of Islam do not recognise
other groups, disagreeing with prominent moderate Muslim scholars who emphasise
that existing differences in the less important issues of jurisprudence, or fiqh,
is a healthy sign of diversity that Islam accepts and promotes.
King Abdullah highlighted the role designed for the Amman Message, a document
Jordan issued last year to outline its understanding of Islam as a religion
which has made and can continue to make great contributions to the world
civilisation.
He said the call for the conference is a continuation of the process that the
Amman Message heralded.
"Thus came the Amman Message which was launched by us in the Holy Month of
Ramadan last year... Then, we called for convening this conference in which
representatives of the eight Muslim schools... [are to] discuss the many issues
and challenges to the Ummah and to specify fundamental basic solutions to
overcome them."
Director General of Al al Bayt Foundation for Islamic Thought Ibrahim Shabbouh,
whose institution organised the conference, said the Amman Message outlines and
encompasses the basic principles of the way Islam should be introduced to others
and the faith's outlook on the universe and its engagement with other partners
in human society.
For his part, Abdulaziz Altwaijri, director general of the Islamic Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation, said his institution "fully supports the
content of the Amman Message," and he called for integrating its principles in
school curricula in the Islamic world.
Altwaijri said media, cultural and other institutions should be deployed to
support the Islamic values of tolerance and understanding among the Muslim
peoples.
At a press conference held later, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul
Salam Abbadi said the King's address is considered the main document of the
conference in setting the guidelines for the discussions that started later
Monday. He said King Abdullah challenged the Muslim scholars to take on their
responsibility.
Abbadi, who is the spokesperson of the conference, said Jordan is looking to the
entire Muslim world to be part of the Amman Message initiative "which is not
exclusive to Jordan."
Participants embarked yesterday on deliberations of papers handling the basic
aspects in Islam's relationship with the human community. They are also due to
discuss throughout the event the current difficulties facing Islam and how to
correct the distorted image of the religion in the contemporary world community.