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International
“We will continue to work to activate a we brought together Muslim leaders and
scholars in Makkah to promote the values
constructive dialogue to find common of peace and coexistence and mediated the
solutions, taking into account religious «Declaration of Peace in Afghanistan», a
historic meeting between senior government
and cultural diversity and striving to and religious leaders from Afghanistan
protect human rights for all.” and Pakistan to establish a roadmap for
resolving the decades-long religious conflict
in Afghanistan, which has weighed heavily on
politics. This Declaration is still relevant in the
inclusive approach that focuses on spreading minds of scholars in Pakistan and Afghanistan
these values. despite the recent events in Afghanistan. The
word of the scholars is one and is influential in
We have established partnerships and all cases. There is a coordinating committee to
relationships with other leading faith-based work on making this Declaration effective.
institutions to promote interfaith cooperation
and understanding. We have established Recently, we brought together 80 Sunni and
global education programs to stem the Shia leaders from Iraq to promote unity
roots of violent extremism, and we provide and coexistence. Islam is a religion of peace,
critical humanitarian assistance to threatened harmony, and compassion, and all of these
communities around the world, both Muslim core values are embodied in Mecca.
and non-Muslim, without discrimination.
This is what it means to be Muslim. We will You have been working to promote tolerance
continue to work to activate a constructive and interfaith dialogue and to bring forward
dialogue to find common solutions, taking a tolerant Islam at a time when fanaticism
into account religious and cultural diversity and religious fanatics are causing problems in
and striving to protect human rights for all. Africa and the Middle East. Where do you get
the courage to do your work? What is the force
You live in a historic and legendary city: that drives you forward?
Mecca. Many people want to visit Mecca, and As a religious leader, it is my duty to combat
there are even those who dream of living there. hatred, racism, violent extremism and
Out of curiosity, tell us about life in Mecca? terrorism in all its forms and to categorically
Mecca is the holiest place in Islam and has a reject its perverse and distorted ideology. As
special place in the hearts and minds of all a human being, my determination comes
Muslims. It is the birthplace of our Prophet from my total commitment to my religion
Muhammad (may God’s peace and blessings be and the promotion of its true and moderate
upon him) and it is where our sacred religion principles. Extremists, with their hateful and
was born. It is where the Qibla is located: the exclusionary tendencies, have tried for long
direction of the Kaaba in the Holy Mosque, periods of time to hijack our religion to fan
which is the direction to which all Muslims the flames of hatred and intolerance, not
turn in their prayers. Mecca is the destination accepting others and trying to deprive them
of millions of Muslims who perform Hajj and of their rights, those rights and freedoms that
Umrah every year, Hajj being one of the five are established by Islam. These militants use
pillars of Islam. There is no other place in the social networks and other virtual platforms
world with the sanctity and spirituality of Mecca to spread their ideology and falsely claim that
where Muslims gather to renew their faith and they are inspired by our holy texts.
spirit and feel more connected to God and the
fundamental principles of Islam regardless of People in the West tend to confuse Islam with
class, ethnicity, nationality or gender. extremists and terrorism, whose fault is that?
What is the role of the media? Why don’t we
Mecca is a safe place that represents the true get information from you?
essence of peace and harmony. Just this year, I think it is important to realize that extremists
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and terrorists are a very small minority of the the true and moderate principles of Islam. We
world’s 1.8 billion Muslims who completely use our social media platforms to educate and
disavow and condemn such perverse acts. inform our millions of followers from around
Over the past few decades, extremists and the world about the values of Islam. These
false flag carriers of Islam have carried out values focus on cooperation, empathy, peace
attacks in France, the United States, the United and coexistence. This is not only important for
Kingdom, Germany, Spain and other Western our efforts, but also for our role as a leading
countries. However, the majority of terrorist organization in Islam.
attacks have been perpetrated against Muslims
and Muslim majority countries. These heinous Therefore, I think there is a lot of information
and despicable crimes have received much about the true meaning of Islam if everyone
media attention in the West. would open their eyes, ears and hearts. For
example, when I led a high-level Muslim
Unfortunately, violence is often the only delegation to Auschwitz in 2019, some
thing many in the West know or hear about people, especially within the Islamic world,
Muslims. It is the duty of the international were surprised by this important trip. They
media to present a balanced picture of should not have been surprised because the
Muslims to accurately reflect our culture as a Holocaust is a heinous crime that shook the
whole. In reality, Islam represents a vast and conscience of the world and left a harsh and
diverse group of culturally rich people who unforgettable impact. As I said earlier, anyone
make vital contributions to their national who denies the Holocaust in the name of
societies. They include teachers, public sector Islam or tries to minimize the importance of
employees, firefighters, police officers, doctors, the Nazi atrocities is in fact falsifying history
scientists, technicians, engineers, etc. We are and committing a crime against Islam on the
not a caricature and we ask everyone to take a other hand. This is the real Islam, far from any
closer look at the enriching diversity that goes other ideologically motivated concepts, false
under the name of «Islam» or «Muslim» and illusions or false theories.
to look beyond the terminology to the people
themselves. You also work in the field of counter-terrorism
and improving people’s lives in general,
One of the main tasks of the Muslim World especially regarding women’s rights, how do
League and the Organization of Muslim you find the time to do all this?
Scholars is to correct misconceptions about You must be passionate about what you
Islam and to constantly communicate with do and I am very interested in all of these
religious leaders, scientists, academics, tasks. However, our work at the Muslim
media, «government» and «non-government» World League and the Organization of
officials in the West and elsewhere to discuss Muslim Scholars cannot be done by one
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