Seminar on ‘Islam in East Asia’ Opens in Taipei

Author: 
Abdul Wahab Bashir, Arab News Staff
Publication Date: 
Tue, 2004-03-16 03:00

TAIPEI, 16 March 2004 — Muslims are not doing enough to counter campaigns targeting them in the West and other parts of the world by those who are trying to impose their cultural, social and political ways of life and who see Muslims as enemies to be eliminated, tamed or dominated, said Dr. Abdullah ibn Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL).

Speaking at an international seminar on Islam in East Asia which opened in Taipei yesterday, Al-Turki called for a collective and aggressive effort involving official and non-governmental organizations in the Muslim world to explain to non-Muslims what Islam really stands for as a religion of peace, tolerance and co-existence. The two-day seminar titled “Islam in East Asia-Civilization and Modernization” is jointly organized by the Makkah- based MWL and the National Chengche University in Taipei.

“Terrorism knows no religion, nationality or country or culture. Islam rejects violent acts and aggression against others and prescribes severe punishment for terrorists,” he explained, adding that the MWL has embarked on a large scale program including conferences and meetings with non-Muslims as well as media campaigns to explain the position of Islam on terrorisms and to try to correct the misconceptions held by many concerning Islam and its followers.

He said fear has been heightened by the development and massing of weapons of mass destruction and the use of advanced technology for espionage and intelligence.

“These developments have been adopted by people who have no regard for religion nor God’s scrutiny of other actions, people who see others as fearful enemies who must either be eliminated or tamed and dominated,” Dr Turki told the delegates.

It was such an inclination, he said, that had led to two world wars resulting in large-scale death and destruction.

Today’s world has seen many human societies drifting into unprecedented degeneration and promiscuity while arts and the media joined forces to exploit human instincts in order to make profits.

The seminar was addressed by the President of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian.

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