Muslim World League chief: People must accept religious, intellectual diversity

The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Mohammed bin Abdulkarim al-Issa, highlighted the need to abide by effective dialogue. He said that the world today complains about the lack of understanding of God’s will in religious, intellectual, cultural and civilizational diversity, as well as the lack of understanding of the importance of coexistence among each other, as a basic rule for peace and harmony among mankind.

This was part of Al-Issa’a speech at the Alliance of Virtue for Common Good conference in Washington, which was attended by 400 religious, political, social, intellectual and governmental figures from around the world.

Issa pointed out that religious and intellectual conflict and the resultant extremism and counter-extremism are not solely the responsibility of those who are mentally kidnapped, as they are merely a herd controlled by wolves.

He considered that the religious texts as well as the constitutional and legal texts can be interpreted and manipulated and be strict in its indications, stressing that all violent actions undertaken under the name of religion is a result of the inaction and neglect of the wise religious men.

Issa explained that religions throughout history have suffered from those who study religious texts by heart without understanding or awareness, and then heads scientific and intellectual fields, which resulted in disaster for the religions and for themselves.

Moral, behavioral values

He stressed that it is important that religious and educational programs should be focused on establishing moral and behavioral values.

The conference ended with a number of recommendations and decisions which included establishing an institution to develop and activate the “Washington Declaration”, launch a humanitarian campaign to feed one billion hungry people worldwide, and establish an international multi-religious council of prominent religious men to support mediation and reconciliation, and quick intervention to end war and civil strife.