MAKKAH — Top religious scholars and officials began a meeting in Makkah on Sunday to discuss problems facing Muslims around the world. On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Makkah Emir Prince Mishal Bin Abdullah opened the global conference on “The Islamic World, Problems and Solutions” at the headquarters of the Muslim World League (MWL). Prince Mishal said he was honored to open the conference on behalf of the King. He thanked the MWL for holding the conference and choosing the topic of Islamic solidarity for research and discussions. “Your efforts at people's level go alongside with the efforts of leaders at the official level to achieve solidarity. Our nation faces many crises and conflicts and indiscriminate killings have become commonplace. These conflicts and crises destroy our economy. The Syrian crisis is a real example,” Prince Mishal said, reading out the King's message to the conference. “This difficult situation in a number of Islamic countries, destabilization of security and stability and weak communication between Muslim countries and peoples require us to intensify efforts to spread a culture of reconciliation, tolerance and moderation in addition to efforts to heal the rifts that dented Islamic unity,” Prince Mishal said. “Saudi Arabia is keen to achieve solidarity among Muslims. Unity and solidarity are main assets of Muslims emphasized in the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him),” he said. “The Kingdom's vision is based on comprehensiveness of the responsibility toward solidarity. The governments and political leaders as well as organizations and non-governmental institutions in addition to scholars, intellectuals and media outlets must cooperate to achieve this,” Prince Mishal said. “The Kingdom stresses that the value of the Islamic solidarity is determined by the objectives of unity, ending conflicts and dissension, mobilizing capabilities of the nation to face the evils and raising the level of global participation in the service of humanity,” he said. “Our Islamic nation faced many challenges that required our attention. This conference is held in order to spread a culture of solidarity among different sections of the Islamic nation, take care of the scientific projects and programs and support institutions of cooperation,” MWL Secretary-General Abdullah Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Turki said in his speech welcoming the guests. He stressed that King Abdullah exerted great efforts in reunification and solidarity of the Islamic nation. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Alsheikh, Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, addressed the attendees, highlighting importance of solidarity among Muslims which included cooperation to defend the faith. “Islamic solidarity included cooperation in economic, social and scientific fields. We have to seek to unify our stance, cooperation and solidarity in facing challenges,” the mufti said. He called on Islamic media outlets to play their role in enhancing solidarity among Muslims. On behalf of the participants, Issamaldain Al-Bashir, chairman of the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Sudan, thanked King Abdullah and other Saudi leaders for their efforts to serve Islam and Muslims. — SG/SPA
