Final communiqué of International Islamic Conference for Dialogue

Participants thank Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for patronizing event, considering his address as important document of conference

Conference asserts Islam has viable solutions to crises, faces challenges

Dialogue…Muslims’ important window on the world

The International Islamic Conference for Dialogue, organized by Muslim World League under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, was concluded.

The participants recommended the establishment of "King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Civilization Interaction" with the aim to disseminate the culture of dialogue, and the creation of "King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Award for Civilization Dialogue.

They expressed their great appreciation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the efforts he exerted in the field of dialogue and his patronage of this great event, looking forward to his support for the conference's decisions and recommendations.

The participants requested that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques send, as soon as possible, invitations to distinguished and specialized figures in the field of dialogue within Muslim circles and followers of other faiths and recognized philosophies to probe the Islamic vision this conference has put forward so as to reach a practical formula for a fruitful global dialogue that contributes to solving the problems humanity now suffers. They also asked that he use his good international offices through the United Nations, world countries, and world organizations in the best ways he sees fit.

The Ulema asserted their support for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in his efforts in serving Islam, Muslims and the entire humanity which will lead to cooperation, stability and peace among all human communities of different beliefs and cultures. They also expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its promotion of dialogue and its patronage for its activities and conferences.

The Conference stressed that Islam has viable solutions to those crises, and that the Muslim nation, with the rich civilization it draws on, ought to contribute with others to facing these challenges. The other divine religions and philosophies share with Islam the basics of human ethics and values which they should together protect against injustice, aggression and disintegration of families.

The statement said that the comprehensive dialogue on the investment in shared and mutual humanitarian interests is necessary for cooperation in joint action programs that besiege contemporary problems, and shield humanity against their malevolent effects.

The statement also pointed out that dialogue is a genuine approach in Quran and the practice of prophets when communicating with their peoples. It signaled Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah society as an ideal example of the society of co-existence of different cultures under the leadership of the Prophet.

The statement emphasized that dialogue is one of the most important outlets through which Muslims can perceive the world, and achieve a set of goals, the most important of which is to introduce Islam, its legislations and humanitarian principles, in addition to its rich civilization. Dialogue also enables Islam to contribute to the march of human civilization and to respond to and correct the erroneous slanders raised against Islam, and to address the challenges facing the world owing to distancing themselves from religion and its values. Accordingly the world of today fell in the grip of vice and injustice, terrorism and Human rights violation. Dialogue also provides an opportunity for Muslims to defend causes of human rights and legitimate issues, and create a public opinion in its defense. Enemies of Islam are planning to disqualify Muslims from this legitimate area of struggle to pave the way for the dominance of one culture. The spread of dialogue also helps in solving whatever disputes or chronic conflicts might emerge among Muslims and others who share with them the homelands and communities regardless of being majorities or minorities. It also confirms that Islam believes in co-existence with other civilizations.

The conference called for the unity of the Islamic stance of dialogue through the world body to be assigned for dialogue by Muslim World League. The body should be regarded the coordinating liaison of all dialogue committees and institutions. Muslims should be committed to its strategic vision that emerges from dialogue with others, should focus on the common humanitarian and mutual interests, and should work to achieve peaceful coexistence, justice and social security among peoples of different civilizations and the world.

The conference urged all to benefit from the experience of dialogue conducted by members of the Muslim World League.

The Conference examined the experience of dialogue between Muslims and others over the past five decades, and having looked to the future prospects of dialogue with the followers of various messages, it called for opening channels of communication and dialogue with the followers of divine messages, philosophies and recognized intellectual approaches.

The conference urged Muslims in non-Islamic countries to conduct continued dialogue with the people of those countries, respect the host countries' rules, never neglect their Islamic religious duties, and show cooperation with the governments of Islamic countries and Islamic organizations.

The conference called on the United Nations and human rights organizations to criminalize the abuse directed at Islam and its Messenger and pass resolutions condemning the blaspheming of all prophets.

The statement said the common grounds for a serious dialogue will be based on a belief in the unity of the origin of mankind; that humans are equal in dignity and humanity and in rejection of racism and denunciation of odious claims of superiority.

The conference reviewed the topics of dialogue and called on Islamic and global dialogue institutions to give priority to issues of protection of values and ethics against the calls for demoralization on grounds of defending individual freedom and fighting terrorism, violence, extremism and blasphemy. The conference called for studying the causes and means of eradicating them, and for global cooperation to wipe them out through various means. The conference also refuted the suspicion that Islam and Muslims are responsible for terrorism, extremism and hatred. Also the conference rejected the oppression and exploitation of poor people under the excuse of liberating them or guarding their human rights.

The conference called for the provision of the basic elements of families and for helping them financially and morally to bring up responsible generations who care for the world welfare according to the guidance of God.

The Conference appealed to the world's peoples, Governments and organizations, even though they have different religions and cultures, to forge understanding between our and their groups based on a shared belief that God is one, He is our creator and we have to worship Him. Accordingly, we will cooperate to end wars, conflicts, and international problems, and work together to promote a culture of tolerance, dialogue, and build together an international umbrella of ethics that confronts illegitimate social relationships, and addresses the risks endangering the family.

The participants hailed the interest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in dialogue, and his call on the world's countries and peoples to cultivate it and to renounce violence, and the King's confirmation of the need to pay attention to the common principles and ethics to divine religions and books and his focus on the importance of defending and safeguarding the family as the cornerstone for society against calls for vice and family and social disintegration.

They considered the address of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques an important document of the conference and a ground for the start of dialogue, citing its significant contents for achieving peace and positive coexistence.

For his part, Dr Abdullah Al-Turki, the Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), has said the present goal, on conclusion of the international Islamic conference is to formulate strategic programs and projects of future dialogue.

Addressing a press conference at the end of the conference, Dr Al-Turki said there will be programs and projects for dialogue and women will be allowed to contribute to the dialogue in affairs of their concern.

Underlining the importance of clarifying the Islamic vision on the civilizations' conflict, he said Islam believes that the civilizations should cooperate and integrate, and each civilization should benefit from other civilization either it is a past one or a contemporary one.

Dr Al-Turki said the MWL will study what concerns King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Civilizations and King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Civilization Dialogue, which will be instituted within the framework of a proposal made by the conference.

A number of Muslim scholars and intellectuals in Egypt expressed interest in the International Islamic Conference for Dialogue held by Muslim World League in Makkah under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

They emphasized that the conference's activities, sessions and meetings would promote the Islamic and comprehensive concept for the dialogue that will support the Muslim scholars to spread their message of spirit of Islam. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Dr. Mahmoud A'shour, Al-Azhar former Undersecretary and member of Islamic Research Assembly emphasized the importance of enhancing the efforts to activate the International Islamic Conference for Dialogue held by Muslim World League in Makkah at the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, calling on everyone to support all affairs upholding the word of Islam.

For his part, the former head of Islamic Research City, Dr. Farhat Al-Mongi emphasized the importance of holding this conference in such circumstances and the importance of the call for dialogue with wisdom and good advice.

Al-Mongi praised the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for this conference.

For his part, in a similar statement to SPA, Al-Azhar University Professor Ibrahim Najim emphasized the importance of this conference.

Najim welcomed the Kingdom's hosting of this conference, wishing that the conference comes out with recommendations to keep abreast of responsibilities facing the Islamic world.

Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Germany, Dr. Osama bin Abdulmajeed Shobokshi asserted that the attendance of around 500 intellectuals in the conference was a very important thing to Muslims to reject violence and extremism.

He said that the conference aimed at unifying and coordinating Islamic stances towards several social, intellectual and cultural issues, to raise hope that such dialogue to be followed by a dialogue between the three monolithic religions.

In al-Madina al-Munawara, Secretary-General of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives Dr. Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Samari held a press conference after the royal order to implement the Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques encyclopedia at the Dar al-man hotel in Madina al-Munawara.

“Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Riyadh region and the general supervisor of the encyclopedia project had launched the research and scientific activities earlier this year at the Umm al-Qura university in Makkah,” Al-Samari said at the conference.

He said that the project aims at issuing an encyclopedic work about Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques in different ages according to a comprehensive scientific approach.

The Hajj encyclopedia will be divided into eight divisions, in which each one will contain a number of researches and items.