The speech of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, at the UN interfaith conference in New York on Wednesday has underlined the importance of promoting dialogue, understanding and tolerance among human beings, as well as respect for all their diverse religions, cultures and beliefs gaining the appreciation of Muslim scholars. The speech further advances the true cause of Islam to promote dialogue, rejecting the use of religion to justify acts of terrorism, the killing of innocent civilians, violence and coercion, they agreed. At uncertain times of war and political conflicts wrapping the world, the King has managed to disseminate the culture of dialogue across the globe through the UN based on common values among religions and cultures. In his speech, King Abdullah showed the world the pure and true image of Islam that calls for peace, tolerance, human rights, and justice, said Saleh Al-Bugami, general secretary of Islamic Society of Jurisprudence and member of the Shoura Council. By “bringing adherents of different sects and religions together,” the King has taken a giant stride to place the issue on the international front at such a difficult time in human history, he added. The dialogue initiative is clearly a message of peace based on common human values without any compromises on the basics of creeds. As humanity goes through division of creed, race, color, and language, interfaith dialogue has come to restore faith in peaceful co-existence and mutual respect, the King has advanced in his speech and during his meeting with scholars from Christianity and Judaism. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) invited people of other religions with Divine message to come together to agree on things which are common between them, namely on the oneness of God, and that they do not associate others with Him. The King's speech has come to revive hope for peace, justice, and rational argument just like what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did when he was promoting Islam, said Muhammad Al-Nujaimi, member of the Islamic Society for Jurisprudence. Though short, the King's speech was sharp in its call for a comprehensive and long-lasting peace among followers of monotheistic religions, he added. In the pre-Islamic Arabia, the ethical culture was one of an attitude of arrogance, intolerance, tribal vendetta, and oppression of the weak. But when Islam came, it defined itself as an antithesis to that culture. The King's initiative now takes root in the true image of Islam promoting tolerance and peaceful co-existence as it has brought people of different religions and cultures to sit across the table from each other. Ahmad Al-Murai, general secretary of Makkah Conference, said that the King has launched his call for dialogue from an Islamic foundation inspired by the Holy Qur'an: “Oh humankind! We created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know each other.” Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) held dialogue with both his followers and opponents, he added. Interfaith harmony was founded on the belief that all divine religions have one source of truth, and the Muslims believe in the truth of all the previous revealed messages, Murai added. Islam does not abolish human civilizations or gets into conflict with them, rather it offers its causes and principles to reach out for them, Murai added. The interfaith dialogue initiative is a logical expression of humanity's relations to the universe around it to lead to spirituality and peace as the King has called on all nations without discrimination to reconcile, said Owaida Al-Zahrani, member of the National Human Rights Society in the Eastern Province. The King wanted to gather the world around common human values to face future challenges and threats of war, financial and political disasters, crime and terrorism, he added. It is an unprecedented initiative for world dialogue in the human history, he said. On his part, Sheikh Ali Al-Ammari, a Jizan court judge, said that “The King's speech has included the key elements of peaceful coexistence among followers of religions as advanced by the Islamic Shariah.” Islam has called for respecting rights of others, giving them advice and cooperation, he said. As for the validity of creed, it is a matter for only God to judge, He Who does not do anyone wrong. President of Makkah Open University, Ali Al-Amri, said the King's speech has emphasized the foundations of dialogue among followers of religions and cultures. Frequently-held conferences will help ease the tension among religions and cultures as the Prophet's tradition always advanced, he said. – Okaz/SG __
