JEDDAH, 20 March — An international conference on the effects of globalization on Muslim communities, terrorism and how to respond to the anti-Muslim campaigns that followed the Sept. 11 attacks will be held in Makkah next month under the auspices of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Fahd.
Organized by the Muslim World League (MWL) on April 6-8, the conference will attract participants from all over the world who seek to clarify Islam’s position on a number of contentious issues.
These include terrorism, war, human rights and civil liberties, the dialogue among civilizations and cultural coexistence, said MWL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah ibn Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki.
The conference, the fourth of its kind to be held by the MWL over the past three decades, will draw scholars, preachers and activists, academics and intellectuals from Muslim and non-Muslim countries, as well as representatives of Muslim minorities all over the world. The Makkah-based MWL is a non-profit, non-governmental organization representing Muslim peoples, minorities and organizations.
Papers and open discussions will focus on the state of Muslims and their future role in a world without boundaries, how to respond to ongoing campaigns against Islam and Muslims following the attacks on New York and Washington, the US-led war against what has come to be called international terrorism, and the challenges facing Muslim minorities in the light of recent international developments.
“The conference derives its importance from the fact that it is being held under the auspices of King Fahd, who is known for supporting MWL activities. Over three days the delegates will seek to explain to the world the Islamic principles and teachings that govern human relations, and to underline the need to safeguard the security of the Muslim nation and put forward Islamic solutions to contemporary issues,” Dr. Al-Turki said.
The objective of the conference, said Dr. Al-Turki, is to emphasize the need for preaching Islam in the light of the Holy Qu’ran and Sunnah (the teachings of the Prophet), underline the role of the mosque in the life of Muslims, project the role of women and family in building a healthy Muslim society, and underline the role of Muslim governments and organizations in serving Islamic causes.
