Over 500 Ulema and Islamic thinkers and religious scholars from different Muslim countries are expected to participate in the three-day International Islamic Conference for Dialogue beginning June 4. King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will patronize the conference wherein scholars will present 13 research papers covering four main themes. Initially the conference was set for June 1 but upon a request from several heads of Islamic centers in countries with Muslim minorities who had faced certain travel difficulties it was postponed by three days. Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) said the participation of these personalities was crucial for the success of the conference. Al-Turki said the conference stems from the keenness of King Abdullah and his call to the world to hold a dialogue and return to Allah Almighty in order to consolidate and instill virtue and sublime human values. The conference aims to safeguard man's dignity and morals and strengthen cooperation and coexistence among peoples. Dr. Al-Turki expressed the hope that the conference would achieve its goals in consolidating the concept of Islamic dialogue according to Shariah laws with the followers of different religions, cultures and civilizations in the world. He said the conference's theme focuses on defining the concept of dialogue and explaining its objectives, bases and standpoints. The participants will lay down the methods of dialogue and its controls while specifying its mechanisms and ethics. He said MWL is attaching great importance to the conference and it has formed a preparatory committee for the conference's programs. The committee held several meetings and prepared working papers to specify its functions and goals according to the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah. The theme of the first session of the conference is Consolidating the concept of dialogue according to the Islamic Shariah. Dr. Ahmed Al-Qadhi, member of the teaching staff in Al-Qassim University will present his paper on "Dialogue in the Qur'an and Sunnah - the concept and goals." Dr. As'ad Al-Sahmarani, in-charge of religious affairs in the Lebanese Popular Conference, will present his paper on "Dialogue in the Qur'an and Sunnah - the bases and standpoints." Dr. Jawad Al-Khalissi, President of Al-Khalissiah University in Iraq will dwell on "Experiences of civilized dialogue throughout history." Dr. Saleh Bin Humaid, President of the Shoura Council will act as moderator. The second session will focus on "Methodology of dialogue and its controls." Ahmed Muhammad Helayyil, Chief Justice and Imam of the Hashemite Hadhra, Dr. Majed Bin Muhammad Al-Majed, Professor in Faculty of Arts, King Saud University and Dr. Munqidh Bin Mahmood Al-Saqqar, Researcher in the Studies and Research Center of the MWL, will present their papers. Sheikh Mohammed Ali Taskhiri, Secretary General of the Academy for Agreement among the Islamic schools of Thought (Al-Taqrib Bayna Al-Madhahib) will be the moderator. "With whom should we have a dialogue with?" is the theme of the third session. It will include papers from Dr. Abdullah Bin Omar Naseef, Secretary General of the World Islamic Council for Call (Da'wa) and Relief, Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak, Secretary General of the Islamic Spiritual Summit in Lebanon, Dr. Akhtar Abdul Wasea, Director of Zakir Hussein Institute for Islamic Studies in India, and Sheikh Fawzi Al-Zafzaf, former deputy dean of Al-Azhar in Cairo. Dr. Mustafa Ibrahim Seric, Chief of the Ulema and Mufti of Bosnia- Herzegovina, will be the moderator. The fourth and final session will feature "Fields of dialogue." Dr. Mahmood Ahmed Ghazi, Professor in the College of Islamic Studies in Qatar, Mustafa Al-Zabbakh, Director General of the Federation of Islamic Societies in ISESCO, and Dr. Ali Ozak, Chairman of the Islamic Sciences Studies Endowment (Waqf) in Turkey, will present their papers. Field Marshal Abdul Rahman Bin Muhammad Siwar Al-Dhahab, Chairman of the Trustees Council of the Islamic Da'wa Organization, will act as moderator. __
