King Fahd urges Muslims to restore their glory

9/19/2004 8:47:00 AM GMT

King Fahd, custodian of the two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia, urged Muslims yesterday to promote dialogue with other communities and improve efforts to establish mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence among other nations, peoples and cultures.

King Fahd was giving out his opening speech to the 38th session of the Muslim World League’s Constituent Council in Makkah.

He said that Saudi Arabia would continue its battle against terrorism and he stressed every nation’s right to defend its rights and keep its culture.

King Fahd also said that the deviations in interpreting Islam made some of its followers carry out violence against their own nation. He also praised MWL’s efforts to promote moderate Islamic teachings and support Muslim unity.

“The Kingdom has been making relentless efforts to introduce Islam and explain its moderate character,” he said, adding that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism.

The speech, which was read out by Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed, stressed the need for cooperation and coordination among Islamic organizations to handle various Muslim issues and improve activities that would help restore the Ummah’s glory.

King Fahd said that Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts to back just causes of Muslims all over the world and defend their legitimate rights. He called upon Muslim countries to support the Palestinians in establishing an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Regarding Iraq, king Fahd said that Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts to re-establish the national unity of the war-torn country and restore peace and stability there.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the grand mufti and chairman of the constituent council, condemned allegations that Saudi Arabia expressed enmity toward other religions.

“Muslims respect non-Muslims living in the Kingdom and we consider attacking others as a crime.” the mufti said.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz also called upon MWL to confront attacks against Islam, the Qur’an and the Prophet (peace be upon him) and correct distortions of the divine religion.

Maldives President Maamoun Abdul Qayyoom, a member of the constituent council, also urged efforts to defeat the plans of Zionists and colonialists that aim at weakening the Islamic nation and controlling its wealth.

“I believe that MWL can play a big role in this respect with the help of scholars and intellectuals attending this conference,” Mr. Maamoun said.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of MWL, called upon Muslims to unite, focus on reforms and comprehensive development and introduce Islam in a way that would eliminate misunderstandings and attract others to its lofty teachings.

He also condemned foreign interference in the Sudanese region of Darfur as well as the atrocities committed in Iraq.