Sheikh Naji Mohammed Alloush, head of Islamic Studies Centre in Akkar, Lebanon said that the Makkah conference has become an independent school for dialogue that is open for all Muslim thoughts at the birthplace of Islam. "This conference has reflected the kingdom's established position as a leader in the Muslim world," he told the Saudi Gazette. It is a daunting task to gather 500 scholars and intellectuals from all over world at such a crucial time of the Muslim Ummah, he said. "This initiative comes to revive the hope of a more integrated Ummah amid malicious attacks on different levels targeting the faith of the Ummah," he said. "But despite all these attacks, Islam always comes out victorious as Allah has made it the religion that can fit every time and every place," he said. Whatever happens to Islam either at the hands of its followers or others, this conference has confirmed that the damage done to it is not beyond repair and the Ummah can become even stronger, he added. Alluosh said that Muslims who still feel that dialogue is unnecessary need to discuss with other Muslims their misconceptions of dialogue. "In fact, people need dialogue because many do not understand the advantages of sitting around one table with people of opposing views and talking to them," he said. "Unfortunately, they believe that dialogue would expose the weakness of Islam. But what they don't realize is that discussion with others would enrich Da'wah and brings Islam more powerfully to the international arena," Alloush said. Dialogue among Muslims is more drastically needed now than ever before, he said. But why the conference didn't include people of other faiths? Understanding the true principles of Islam among Muslims first is a crucial step that precedes any discussion with other religions and cultures, he said. Sheikh Alluosh presented a paper titled “A World Without Dialogue. How ?”. As the weak situation of the Muslim Ummah at the present time and call for dialogue coincide, he discussed that very idea "How can a group have a dialogue at its weakest point in history." “Dialogue is not a novel idea in Islam. When the Islamic state was at its prime in Madina, the Prophet (pbuh) opened dialogue with the unbelievers. He then started sending messages to leaders of the world calling them to embrace Islam.” __
