Jordan Times
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Efforts under way to promote
true image of Islam
AMMAN (JT) — Jordan will exert all possible efforts towards implementing the
recommendations adopted by the International Islamic Conference which concluded
in Amman last week, according to Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul
Salam Abbadi.
More than 170 scholars and clerics from the different schools of Islamic thought
took part in the conference, which concluded by July 7.
At the conclusion of the three-day meeting, the clerics issued a joint statement
that forbids declaring any adherent to anyone of the eight schools of Islamic
jurisprudence an apostate.
The eight schools, or madhahib, are Sunni Shafite, Malikite, Hanbalite and
Hanafite as well as Shiite Jaafari, Ibadi and Zaydi in addition to Thahiri.
The statement, the first of its kind, also limited the issuance of religious
edicts to qualified Muslim clerics in the eight schools.
Other elements of the statement were drawn from His Majesty King Abdullah's
address to the conference, which called on the scholars and clerics to unify the
global Muslim community against threats to its integrity from both Muslims and
non-Muslims.
Abbadi, who served as the official spokesperson of the conference, told the
Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the implementation of these recommendations
would be carried out through seminars to be held in Islamic countries and
abroad, and would focus primarily on points contained in the Amman Message,
which was adopted unanimously at the closing session.
The message, which denounces all forms of terrorism committed in the name of
Islam, aims at presenting the “bright image” of the religion in the US and
Europe, said Abbadi.
His views were echoed by Nihad Awad, head of the Council for US-Islamic
Relations, who described the conference as an important milestone on the road to
promoting the genuine charter of Islam, which he described as having been
distorted over the past years.
He described the Amman Message as being instrumental in reflecting the true
image of the religion, given that many Europeans and Americans still lack a
basic knowledge about Islam's teachings.
As part of their efforts, Awad said the council is currently printing books
about Islam to be distributed to the American public at a cost of $2.5 million.