faces of Islam

Published on the Occasion of the 11th Summit

Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Dakar, Senegal, March 13-14, 2008.
Senegal, Islam, and
the Role of Dialogue
President Abdoulaye Wade
Teranga President of the Republic of Senegal
It is with pride, immense pleasure, and honor that Senegal has
been entrusted with the organisation of the 11th Summit of the
Organisation of the Islamic Conference. This honor is shared with
the entire African continent. And Senegal, via our National Agency
for the OIC, has been proud to respond to the Islamic Oummah
(world Muslim community) in the great tradition of Senegalese
hospitality – teranga.
The choice of Senegal is greatly significant at a time in the world when the need for
constructive dialogue is urgent.
Senegal’s Islamic history is over 1100 years old, dating back from when the Almoradives
arrived in the north forming the first Islamic region south of the Sahara. Subsequent
centuries witnessed the creation of various Moslem confraternities, the Quadria, the
Tidjania, and the Mouridia, all distinct confessions of Islam. Religious tolerance and
cohabitation has always been anchored in Senegal’s soul. In a country that is 95%
Moslem the then-President Léopold Sédar Senghor, who was Catholic, defeated
his Moslem opponent, me, in the presidential elections of 1978. The Senegalese
people as responsible voters were blind to religion. As a democracy, Senegal is living
proof that loyalty to both democratic principles and religious traditions and faith is
wholly compatible.
And this is what I wish to share with the international community today. This is
Senegal’s legacy to global peace, the Senegalese model of religious tolerance. Dakar
shall be available for constructive dialogue at all times for all peoples. In fact, we
have been planning a major conference an Islamic-Christian Dialogue in Dakar,
designed to bring together leading political leaders – not clerics – from the Islamic
and Christian communities. Our task is not to debate religion itself – that is for the
worlds’ theologians — but to discuss precisely how to create conditions favorable in
our societies for peaceful, respectful, tolerant co-habitation between and among our
different religious communities. I can think of no long-term issue more pressing and
important in the world today than this one.
Regarding Islam, we face great challenges today – the dangers of ethnocentricity and
Islamophobia, of transborder criminality, of terrorism, clandestine immigration,
internal conflicts, and environmental disruption. The Oummah must remain in phase
page 2
faces of Islam
has been published for international distribution with the intention of helping to
reinforce global understanding and appreciation of some of the core concepts and
values of Islam and which are inherent in the many, positive, creative, and dynamic
activities and projects fostered and promoted by Muslims and the Islamic community
around the world. These contemporary initiatives include the fields of Islamic
banking and finance, micro credit, public health, higher education and knowledge
acquisition, the emerging Halal industry, world peace initiatives, communications
and multi-media, science, food and medicine, combating poverty and social injustice,
advancing the role of professional women in Islamic society, and others.
Contents:
• Teranga: Welcoming Remarks. HE Abdoulaye Wade,
President of the Republic of Senegal, page 2.
• A Conversation with the OIC Secretary General
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, pages 4-9.
with the requirements of the 21th century. The nature of the questions being discussed
at the OIC Summit require intense and thorough debate and reflection. • The Chaff and the Wheat about Islam,
The Islamic world will be obliged to emerge with renewed organisational strength and Dr. Hassan Hathout, pages 10-12.
the ability to act swiftly as a major constituent of the global community. The fight
against poverty must be a priority by fostering education and training and fortifying • OIC member nations, pages 14-15.
our collective human resources.
• Diversity in Islam: Celebrated or Denied,
Arab nations have responded positively and swiftly in supporting the Numerical
Ambassador Saaddin Al-Tayyib, pages 16-17.
Solidarity Fund to bridge the Digital Divide which has impeded knowledge in all
fields of science and technology from being shared equitably. • from Building Ethical Values and Accountability,
We are on the brink of being able to contribute to the advent of a reinvigorated, Professor Mohd. Kamal Hassan, pages 18-19.
inter-connected, and inter-dependent global Islamic community. Collectively,
we will be able to encourage innovative modes of financing and reap new levels • from Islam and Other Faiths Brotherhood and Peace,
of potentiality. Dr. Mohamed S. El-Awa, pages 20-21.
With its enormous human resources and its immense natural richness, the African
• Message from the Kuwait Fund, page 22.
continent should not remain in a state of permanent need, locked in a vicious cycle of
assistance and debt.
As I told African ministers earlier this year in preparation for the OIC Summit,
the Islamic Oummah is for Africans not only a space of solidarity and spiritual
and cultural identity, but a framework of privileged partnership and economic and
commercial exchange. Special thanks for their valuable assistance: Dr. Isam Salim Shanti,
Maha Akeel, Hassan Ba, Weta Design, The Kuwait Fund, and the OIC.
So, both as part of a pro-active and dynamic Islamic community, and as a tolerant
African nation, on behalf of Senegal I welcome you to a dialogue on the largest issues © Faces of Islam, 2008. Printed in South Africa. All Rights Reserved.
that concern us all. Teranga. To receive additional copies, send an email to facesofislam@gmail.com.
p
A Discussion with The Muslim world today is faced with a number of
complicated and extremely important challenges. How

Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

would you characterize these and what are the most
important objectives for the OIC and the Muslim world in
2008 on a global level?

Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference SG: Like any peace-loving community in the world, Muslims want peace, harmony,
security and prosperity for everyone. For the OIC, we want to solve the conflicts in
the Middle East and those involving other Member States and Muslim communities
in order to bring about peace, security and progress in a just and sustainable way
while establishing harmonious relationships with the rest of the world. It is important
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference – the largest for the OIC to advance overall development in the Member States – political,
and most significant organisation in the world representing economic and social development, including eradicating poverty and illiteracy – and
to bridge the gap between developing and developed countries. This is the only way
the Muslim world with its 57 member states and some 1.5
to curb radicalism and extremism – ensuring social justice and progress.
billion Muslims, is conducting its 11th Summit in Dakar,
Senegal on March 13 and 14. What are the OIC’s objectives
for this historic Summit in Dakar? You have been actively involved in numerous Islamic
initiatives around the world. In fact, few international
SG: The Islamic Summit is held every three years, where the leaders of the Member
States share their views and visions of the state of the Muslim Ummah (community). leaders have been as pro-active in contributing to positive
The Summit in Senegal comes after the landmark Extraordinary Islamic Summit projects as you as the Secretary General of the OIC. And
in Makkah in 2005, which set the framework for development and progress in the yet, the international, non-Muslim community often
Muslim world with the adoption of the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action. The
remains unaware of these efforts. What would you consider
Program has transformed the OIC into a reliable active partner in the international
community in furthering peace, security and development, and the Senegal Summit to be the most promising current Islamic initiatives?
re-emphasizes this aspect. Furthermore, the Makkah Summit established a new
SG: Let me respond to that by breaking these down into four main areas: peace
vision with specific goals and objectives in all fields based on the principle of
brokering, stimulating the economies of Islamic countries, health initiatives, and
“Solidarity in Action,” and the Summit in Senegal re-invigorates the commitments
promoting the knowledge society.
made by the Muslim leaders for achieving these goals. So, the Islamic Summit in
Dakar on March 13-14 is a major step of transforming the OIC into an international 1) Peace Brokering
forum for development and bridging the gap between the Least Developed
The OIC has taken several initiatives and has been involved in efforts to broker
Countries (LDCs) and the rest of the world. It is a kind of major South-South
peace in various conflict areas making positive contributions including in Palestine,
cooperation framework.
Iraq and Thailand. A very important peace-brokering initiative by the OIC is in
Specifically, the agenda of the Summit in Senegal has four main objectives. The the Philippines between the government there and the Moro National Liberation

Photo by Ernesto, 2007.

first is the implementation of the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action where there will
be a report on what has been achieved in the past two years. The second and very
important item is adoption of the revised OIC Charter, which will mark a major
development in the role of the OIC as an international and inter-governmental
organisation. The two other items of the agenda are two brainstorming sessions on
economic cooperation among Member States, especially African, and knowledge-
sharing among Member States.
There are also some accompanying activities to the Summit including the first NGO
and civil society conference by the OIC scheduled for March 7-8. This is significant
because it focuses on the role of civil societies in the Member States and how to
enhance their work, which is also one of the OIC’s new initiatives and goals.
Front (MNLF), the Muslim group seeking autonomous rule in southern Philippines.
After years of armed struggle for independence, the government and MNLF signed
an OIC-sponsored peace accord in 1996. However, after 11 years of the agreement
which stipulated political, economic, and social provisions, southern Philippines
remains economically underdeveloped and the area did not attain the type of
autonomous government stipulated in the agreement. The OIC is now engaged
with the Philippine government and the MNLF in reviewing the implementation
of the peace agreement and working with the two sides on resolving the issues of
contention that has hampered peace and prosperity in southern Philippines.

page 4
2) Stimulating the Economies in Islamic Countries
The OIC has done a lot in the area of the economy because it considers that
economic development is a vital source for social development and peaceful
relationships among peoples and among governments. The 3rd OIC Extraordinary
Islamic Summit in Makkah in 2005 set specific goals for the economic sector of
the OIC Member States, mainly the enhancement of intra-OIC trade, business
cooperation, sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
The OIC Ten-Year Program of Action adopted at the Summit set a target to increase
intra-OIC trade from the 13% it experienced in 2005 to 20% by 2015, and we
are on our way to achieving that goal by establishing the Trade Preferential System
among OIC Member States as well as the Preferential Tariff Scheme. We have also
developed a five-year plan for developing tourism in the Member States, which
shall be approved this year at the 6th ministerial meeting of tourism. We are of
course keen on encouraging the private sector to play a major role in the economic
development and investment in the Member States. In this regard, the Islamic
Development Bank (IDB), which is the financial arm of the OIC, established the
International Trade and Finance Corporation with a capital of $3 billion and a
subscribed capital of $700 million.
The OIC is also engaged in developing special projects, for example, energizing
trade and investment in the cotton sector with a view of adding value to cotton and
increasing the revenue of cotton producers by improving production efficiency and
raising competitive standards in the OIC cotton producing countries. In addition to
that, the OIC has launched special programs and projects for economic development
in Africa including the Project to Establish Green Spaces and Protected Areas in West
Africa designed to develop eco-tourism there. The Makkah Summit also decided to
establish the Poverty Alleviation Fund, which was officially launched in Dakar in
2007 and managed by the IDB, with a target amount of $10 billion in the form of a
Waqf (endowment) whose proceeds will be used to finance projects.
3) Health Initiatives
The Ten-Year Program of Action initiated a focus on health, and the First
Conference of Health Ministers was held in Malaysia in June 2007. It focused on
vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly polio and malaria, with the objective of
reducing in the OIC Member States the mortality rate in children under 5-years
of age. The conference discussed and proposed a strategy through comprehensive
immunization programs and research and development programs for producing
vaccines, technology transfer, and surveillance of types and rates of diseases. The OIC
is cooperating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in eradicating polio in
the Member States through funding of immunization campaigns, raising awareness
and mobilizing support. These are just some of the projects we are involved with…
4) The Promotion of the Knowledge Society and Education
Encouraging research and development has become a main objective for the
OIC. The Muslim world faces a number of acute challenges, and the biggest is
the competitive challenge to generate resources that rely mainly on knowledge
production, dissemination and usage as well as on creativity and innovation. Among
page 6
our target goals stated in the OIC Ten-Year Program of Action is to encourage
R&D spending in the Member States so that it reaches 1% of each country’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP). The most important projects in the field of higher
education and technology are to improve and reform the academic institutions
and curricula in all levels, linking postgraduate studies to the comprehensive
development plans in the Islamic world, and facilitating academic interaction and
exchange of knowledge and expertise. This should encourage creativity, research and
development. We also have a project to select 20 universities from the OIC region
to be elevated to the rank of the Top 500 World Universities. We are following up
on the results of the World Summit on the Information Society which was last held
in Tunis with a view to close the digital gap between the developed and developing
states. This is crucial.
One of the most impressive economic areas of growth in the
world today has been the Halal industry. How do you see
the growth of Halal as a standard in much of the world.
SG: The Halal industry is booming, and there is a growing demand for it not only
in Muslim countries but also in non-Muslim countries where there are large Muslim
populations. This is a positive thing because it is an issue stemming from religious
sensitivities and confirms the identity of Muslims. I think the OIC, through its
different institutions, has been encouraging the efforts of the private sector in
developing the Halal industry. The International Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence)
Academy is the proper institution to give the religious standing on it.
We often hear that much of the non-Muslim population
tends to misunderstand Islam. What can be done to increase
understanding and Islamic-Christian dialogue?
SG: This question needs precision. It is an incorrect assumption that all non-Muslim
populations in the world misunderstand Islam. The problem is mainly in the West
and particularly in Europe. In Europe we have to differentiate between the common
people and some groups of intellectual elites. The common people’s reaction stems
from problems of adaptability by immigrants to the dominant culture in the
European society, which is primarily due to the social background of the immigrants.
In this there are examples of integration in countries like Germany and France and
other European countries where second and third generation of immigrants have
shown successful integration and some of them have succeeded in becoming a
significant part of the political, economic and social leadership. It’s a matter of time
and the right policies and opportunities.
The main problem lies with sectors of the intelligentsia who have wrong notions
of Islam and a hate for Islam, and this group is more radical, vocal and influential.
Take the crisis created by the Danish cartoons since 2005. The publishing and
republishing of these insulting, despicable, and hateful cartoons is presented as a case
of defending “European” freedom of expression, while in reality the whole issue is
not about freedom of expression, which no one in the Muslim world is challenging.
It is rather an abuse of that freedom. The relationship between Islam and the West
should not be hijacked by extremists from both sides.

The other side of the problem are socio-economic injustices, which fuel feelings
of animosity and prejudice. Addressing this would further the cause of harmony
and integration.

As to what can be done to increase understanding, both sides have to work on several
fronts including presenting the issues accurately to the media, revising education
systems and text books, communicating with and embracing the youth, and fostering
improved political will. But first and foremost, European intellectuals should be
more democratic and tolerant towards Islam.
The OIC has clearly grown and changed as an organisation
since its inception in the late Sixties. Can you share your
views on this?
SG: The organisation started from a mere secretariat for the purpose of organizing
conferences into an inter-governmental organisation. In almost 40 years it has
become second to the United Nations in number of member states with a host
of subsidiary, specialized, and affiliate organisations including universities and
research centers and a successful development bank. Now, with a new spirit and
fresh objectives which emerged in 2005 at the Makkah Summit, the organisation
is becoming a viable and vibrant instrument of cooperation among the Member
States, as well as the spokesperson of the Muslim world, and an interlocutor in the
international arena.
One of the areas that the OIC is now advancing in a serious way is the humanitarian
field. It is establishing a new department for humanitarian affairs, separating it from
the political department in order to make it more active and efficient on the ground,
especially following wide-scale disasters. This initiative has already born fruit with
the OIC First International Donor’s Conference for Niger held in Qatar last year.
Here, we were able to raise $370 million for the financing of three programs that
aim to help Niger overcome its long standing drought and food shortage problem.
Another successful humanitarian initiative is for supporting 25,000 children who
were orphaned by the tsunami in Banda Aceh in Indonesia. There are several other
humanitarian initiatives in the pipeline.
Another recent focus of the OIC is women’s issues. The Ten-Year Program of Action
has emphasized the empowerment of women politically, economically and socially
and have included significant provisions for improving the health and education of
women. The OIC organized the first ministerial meeting on women in Turkey in
2006 and the next one is expected later this year, which will consider a draft of the
OIC Plan of Action for the Development of Women.
Admittedly, many positive stories and highly beneficial
initiatives coming from your member states in the Islamic
world tend to be under reported in the international media
or worse, obscured by terrorism and atrocities which
contribute to many unfortunate misconceptions about
Islam and the global Muslim community. No interview
with the Secretary General of the Organisation of the
Islamic Conference would be complete without a question
on the role of moderate Islam today in combating this
phenomenon. What is the role of moderate Islamic leaders
in helping to combat terror in the world? And, are moderate
Islamic organisations like yours doing enough?
SG: Islam as a religion stands for moderation and compassion by definition and by
its doctrine. What we see today is a manifestation of extremism and radicalism and
violence attributed to Islam, when in reality these acts have no basis in the tenants
of Islam or justification in its entire history. All these manifestations are a result of
socio-economic, political, and geo-political reasons which prevail in certain societies
where there is no freedom of expression, of association, or social mobility and
political justice. Additionally, they are encouraged by the active leadership of certain
marginal schools of thought. All these activities attribute themselves to Islam to try
to gain legitimacy and acceptance where the populations are frustrated with their
internal administrations and external interventions.
The OIC as the voice of the Muslim world and the official representative of Muslims
has always called for moderation, supported the dissemination of moderate views
and is engaged in dialogue and presenting the correct Islam to the world. As Muslim
society develops socio-economically, solves its illiteracy problems, and achieves
prosperity and social development, extremism and radicalism shall be reduced as
these improvements will dry up the breeding grounds for the groups that seek to
corrupt the minds of the youth and seduce them into following false ideologies that
only have a self-serving agenda. p

page 8
The Chaff and
the Wheat about Islam
In 1076, Pope Gregory VII wrote to the Muslim ruler Al-Nasir,
“We believe in and confess one God, admittedly in a different way,”
and emphasized the shared Abrahamic faith.
In 1095, Pope Urban II characterized Muslims as godless people, infidels, dogs, chaff
for eternal fire, etc… He was known as “Urban the Blessed” and was the one who
called for the first Crusade.
In 1965, Pope Paul VI mentioned in his Nostra Etate, “Upon Muslims too the Church
looks with esteem, they adore the One God, our God, the God of Abraham with whom
the Islamic faith is happy to associate itself and worship Him by prayers and alms-
giving.” He also emphasized that although Muslims do not believe the sonhood of Jesus
to God, they believe that he was the prophet and messenger of God and was supported
by miracles. Muslims also love and respect his mother, the Virgin Mary.
The late Pope John Paul II commented on the conclusion of the second millennium
by saying that Christians had things to atone for in that millennium, citing the
Inquisition, the Crusades, and the Holocaust.
If the aforementioned conflicting views about Islam were expressed by Popes
(supposedly infallible), then it must be that those views were in fact situational,
although each exerted its influence on Christendom throughout history. It was not
only Popes who regarded Islam so variably. Whereas Dante puts Muhammad in the
deepest pits of hellfire, others grade him as number one of the hundred persons who
positively influenced human history, and the British playwrite George Bernard Shaw
expressed humanity’s need of a person like Muhammad, who would have had the
ability to solve its problems while sipping a cup of coffee.
These are but a few sporadic examples of what the minds of the people in the West
are continually exposed to. It seems that unbridled human nature, however, has more
affinity to cling to bad news and views rather than to look at them analytically or exert
effort to verify them. Even in modern times when means of verification have become
easy, a lie has a better chance to be believed by the masses if the proper technique is
used. The examples are plenty and dramatic even in the highest circles. It is a pity
that we pontificate to our children during their early years about the value of truth
and honesty only to see them reverse direction as they grow up to be big politicians,
business tycoons, and leaders. The media often lose their impartiality and their great
efforts to reveal the truth are marred by situations where they actually deny or conceal
page 10
Dr. Hassan Hathout
it. It is sad to see the art of lying become such a sophisticated science, targeting even
their own people. The Crusades in particular seem to have left such a permanent
impression on the Western mind that the word “crusade” has been established in
common use with positive connotations, whether by top politicians or by religious
preachers.
Then came the tragic events of 9/11 that shocked America and the whole world.
All Americans including Muslim Americans were angered and saddened by the
heinousness of the attack and the loss of innocent lives (including some three hundred
Muslim victims). Although it was a crime perpetrated by a band of criminals who were
Muslims, voices were raised incriminating all Muslims, including American Muslims.
By and by, the accusations expanded to include Islam itself, the Prophet of Islam, and
even the God of Islam. One has to admit, however, that on the whole, the American
people have scored very high on the scales of tolerance and humaneness. I imagine that
if 9/11 had happened anywhere other than America, rivers of blood would have flown
and massacres would have been committed.
The image of Islam in America has naturally suffered and with the selectivity of
reporting by word or by picture from or about the Muslims in their countries, the
image is naturally getting worse. On the other hand, one should realize that ordinary
Americans have their excuse in thinking negatively about Islam, on account of what
they read and watch. This negative image of Islam is lent support by the actions of
those Muslims who exhibit criminal, atrocious, and disgusting behavior while claiming
that they do it in the name of Islam.
Any honest attempt to portray what Islam really is can only be successful if the reader
can cast aside the curtains upon curtains of preconceived ideas. Preconceived ideas
unfortunately tend to block the flow of new ideas.
Muslims are part of the sector of humanity that believes that God is. God is infinite
in all of His descriptions and power. Muslims do not entertain the question what was
before him or who comes after him, for this would mean that He is finite. Muslims
cannot understand infinity because we ourselves are finite. This is not religious jargon,
but infinity is indeed a scientific fact that we teach in our math classes and refer to by
a special signal ( OO ). It follows therefore that God is One whether you are Muslim,
Christian, Jewish, an agnostic, or an unbeliever. God is given various names in various
languages such as: Allah in Arabic, Yahweh in Hebrew, Dieu in French, Theos in
Greek, etc…The English language has no name and uses the word God with a capital
G. God is also beyond gender and our reference to God as “He” is a matter of linguistic
usage, but not of gender. God created the universe, including our planet Earth. All
atoms follow atomic laws. They combine to form molecules following chemical laws.
Molecular complexity advances to the stage where nucleic acids can split and each half
replenishes itself into a new molecule, actually signifying Life along its long course to
higher animals. Biologically, we humans are the head of the animal kingdom, and yet
many of us would be offended to be called an animal. The reason is that, although
we share biology with animals, it is not our biology that makes us human beings, but
another factor that is not derived from the earth. This factor is what we call the Spirit
and is breathed into us from God Himself. It is this element that makes us eligible to
identify good and evil and to have the willpower to observe God’s do’s and don’t’s even
in the face of temptation. As humanity grew and life became more and more complex,
humans were reminded by a long chain of messengers and prophets along human
history. They reminded people that they are under continuous surveillance (by angels)
and that if they can manage to get away with their sins during life, there will be a life
after death where detailed reports are available and responsibilities are assigned. There
has been a long chain of messengers (three hundred according to biblical sources)
ending in what we call the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism (Moses), Christianity (Jesus),
and Islam (Muhammad). Muslims don’t see them as alternatives but as a continuum.
Even without reciprocity, the Quran (to Muslims, God’s very word) addresses Muslims
saying, “The same religion God enjoined on you as the one He recommended to Noah,
and this Quran we revealed to you, and that which we recommended to Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus, that you should uphold the faith and break-not your unity therein”
(Quran 13:42).
Islam calls Jews and Christians the “People of the Book,” since they are the recipients
of the Torah and the Bible. The Quran describes Jesus as the messenger of God, His
Word that He bestows on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. Also in the Quran,
the angels tell Mary, “God has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you over the
women of all nations” (Quran 3:42).
As for the Jews, I will simply make one reference to the late Mr. Aba Eban, former
foreign secretary of Israel, historian, and philosopher, who, in his epic book My People
(also made into a television series), wrote, “Over their history, my people were treated
with justice only twice: under the Muslims in Spain and recently in the United States
of America. It was never under Muslim rule that the Jews met the repeated pogroms
they suffered in Europe, concluded by Hitler’s Holocaust.”
In the middle ages, when Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Jews from Spain (as
collateral damage with Muslims), many of them went to Muslim lands. They were
generously welcomed, and the Muslim Sultan mocked the Spanish monarchs by
saying, “They impoverished their country and enriched mine.” It was not until the
Palestinian issue that the relations soured, and we hope some solution agreeable to
both Palestinians and Israelis will be reached at long last. Looking at Jerusalem through
Jewish, Christian, or Muslim eyes, it is obvious that God meant it to be a converging
lens of the three faiths and not a divergent one. Finding a solution to restore peace
to the land of peace should be the concern of all three communities. However,
it should not be a Versailles-like peace, because this would only be the prelude to
further conflict.
page 12
It is quite obvious to me that in America and the West as a whole, Islam is very much
talked about and very little understood. To facilitate the matter to the western reader,
I would liken Islam to a building composed of the foundation and three stories. The
foundation is belief in and love of God, heeding Him all the time. The first floor is that
of worship (prayers, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage to Mecca if affordable). The
second floor is human relations and interaction with the environment. The third floor
is a constitution (legal system) that is pliable to suit new times and situations. There
is no clergy system in Islam (only scholarship), hence the conflict between church
and state does not arise. The three floors are interconnected; the system is inclusive
and takes care not to enforce on non-Muslim citizens anything that runs against their
respective religions. It is the second floor that is important to us all and is practically
the same as in Christianity, Judaism, and all other members of humanity who believe
in goodness and human decency.
Readers will ask why the problems of terrorism and the negative actions committed
by Muslim perpetrators arise. We say that such phenomena are not confined to Islam
and we invite the reader to widen his or her field of vision and consider the history
of followers of the other religions, both in the past and in our present day. A study of
terrorism in both the past and the present shows it to include Muslims, Christians,
Jews, and practically human beings of all creeds and breeds. Yet the press often
attaches the title “Islamic” only when the perpetrators are Muslims, omitting such
characterization in other cases.
Terrorism is a real and potentially devastating problem in our modern times. It is a pity
to see the handling of the problem entirely relegated to politicians and their allies of
the military-industrial complex, exactly what the late US President Eisenhower warned
us against. It is also sad to note that our national budgets allocate far more for inflicting
death than do they for educating and protecting life.
The problem of terrorism should be handled in a scientific way. An international
committee should systematically study all aspects of the problem and elucidate its
predisposing factors, exciting factors, and early symptoms. Preventive management
is certainly more valuable than therapeutic treatment. The aim of enlightened
statesmanship is to turn your enemy into a friend and not just to kill him. This
approach is an axial theme that should be adopted by all people of all nations and of
all religions. The United States was founded on the idea of “Out of Many: One” and
this should be its guiding light within and without its borders. The United States,
physically and morally, should never allow itself to live behind an Iron Curtain. It
should never ever allow itself to be tempted by the idea of “the survival of the fittest,”
otherwise it will lose itself even if it wins its battles. p
Dr. Hassan Hathout is a professor at the Islamic Center of
Southern California, and a former professor in the School of
Medicine at Kuwait University.
OIC member nations Great Socialist People’s Republic of NIGER Republic of SENEGAL Republic of TUNISIA
LIBYAN ARAB Member Since 1969 Member Since 1969 Member Since 1969
JAMAHIRIYA National Day 18/12 National Day 4/4 National Day 20/3
Islamic State of BRUNEI-DARUSSALAM Arab Republic of EGYPT Islamic Republic of IRAN Member Since 1969
AFGHANISTAN Member Since 1984 Member Since 1969 Member Since 1969
National Day 1/9
Member Since 1969 National Day 23/2 National Day 23/7 National Day 11/2
National Day 19/8
Federal Republic Republic of SIERRA LEONE Republic of TURKEY
of NIGERIA Member Since 1972 Member Since 1969
MALAYSIA Member Since 1986 National Day 27/4 National Day 29/10
BURKINA-FASO Republic of GABON Republic of IRAQ Member Since 1969 National Day 1/10
Republic of ALBANIA (then Upper Volta) Member Since 1974 Member Since 1975
National Day 31/8
Member Since 1992 Member Since 1974 National Day 17/8
National Day 28/11 National Day 11/12
Republic of SOMALIA Republic of
Sultanate of OMAN Member Since 1969 TURKMENISTAN
Hashemite Kingdom of Republic of MALDIVES Member Since 1972 National Day 1/7 Member Since 1992
Republic of The GAMBIA JORDAN Member Since 1976 National Day 18/11 National Day 27/10
People’s Democratic Republic of CAMEROON Member Since 1974 Member Since 1969
National Day 26/7
Republic of ALGERIA Member Since 1974 National Day 18/2 National Day 25/5
Member Since 1969 National Day 20/5
Republic of The SUDAN
National Day 1/11
Islamic Republic Member Since 1969 Republic of UGANDA
Republic of MALI of PAKISTAN National Day 1/1 Member Since 1974
Republic of GUINEA Republic of KAZAKHSTAN Member Since 1969 Member Since 1969 National Day 9/10
Republic of CHAD Member Since 1969 Member Since 1995
National Day 22/9 National Day 23/3
Republic of AZERBAIJAN Member Since 1969 National Day 2/10 National Day 16/12
Member Since 1992 National Day 11/8
Republic of SURINAME
National Day 28/5
Member Since 1996 State of The UNITED
Islamic Republic of State of PALESTINE National Day 25/11 ARAB EMIRATES
Republic of GUINEA-BISSAU State of KUWAIT MAURITANIA Member Since 1969 Member Since 1972
Union of The COMOROS Member Since 1974 Member Since 1969
Member Since 1969 National Day 1/1 National Day 2/12
Kingdom of BAHRAIN Member Since 1976 National Day 24/9 National Day 25/2
National Day 28/11
Member Since 1972 National Day 6/7
SYRIAN Arab Republic
National Day 16/12
Member Since 1972
State of QATAR National Day 17/4 Republic of UZBEKISTAN
Republic of GUYANA KYRGYZ Republic Kingdom of MOROCCO Member Since 1972 Member Since 1996
Republic of Member Since 1998 Member Since 1992
Member Since 1969 National Day 3/9 National Day 1/9
People’s Republic of COTE D'IVOIRE National Day 23/2 National Day 31/8
National Day 30/7
BANGLADESH Member Since 2001
Republic of TAJIKISTAN
Member Since 1974 National Day 7/8
Member Since 1992
National Day 26/3
Kingdom of National Day 9/9 Republic of YEMEN
Republic of INDONESIA Republic of LEBANON Republic of SAUDI ARABIA Member Since 1969
Member Since 1969 Member Since 1969
MOZAMBIQUE Member Since 1969 National Day 22/5
Republic of DJIBOUTI National Day 17/8 National Day 22/11
Member Since 1994 National Day 23/9
Republic of BENIN Member Since 1978
National Day 25/6 Republic of TOGO
Member Since 1983 National Day 27/6
Member Since 1997
National Day 1/8
National Day 27/4

page 14
 Diversity in Islam:
Celebrated or Denied
Civilisation is the story of adaptation both to a particular natural
environment and to a political environment. Few people, if any,
in human history have been so isolated that their civilisation
evolved without confronting and overlapping with the civilisations
of others.
In today’s global world of instant communication and incredibly fast mobility, almost
all societies have become interconnected and interlinked, no matter how remote or
isolated. Massive waves of migration, unprecedented and easy movement of people
and goods, and the fast flow of information through trade, business, tourism, and the
internet have changed the face of all societies. As a result, diversity and multi-ethnicity
have become a common feature and a fact of life in the modern world.
Because of this new dynamism, Muslims in their hundreds of millions, have become
an increasingly visible part of the fabric of many Western societies, and Islam has,
consequently, become an integral part of the West’s cultural landscape. Such
transformations have been the result of imperative economic and social needs brought
out by the new realities that govern and move the world. The scope of this irreversible
and historic trend, driven by the forces of globalization, will arguably continue to grow
and increase.
In a plural society with a positive social environment religious identity and racial
identity are complimentary. Muslim identity need not clash with any other identity
so long as ones commitment to Islam remains authentic. Tolerance is borne out of
the very nature of Islam and leniency is deeply instilled in Islamic teachings, even in
strictly legal matters.
There is no denial that European enlightenment has enhanced the dignity of human
beings and has disseminated the universal common values that human beings share
irrespective of their religion, nationality, or ethnicity. Such values include the sanctity
of life, human rights, democracy, rule of law, equality, cultural and religious diversity,
tolerance, freedom of expression, etc.
Proceeding from these premises, one would expect Western societies to live up to their
promise of diversity and democracy. Yet, despite their claim to do so, many in the
West still perceive Islam as a threat. The “them” and “us” dualism tends to dominate
the Western psyche and continues to shape the attitude of contemporary Europe.
Although Christianity and Islam belong to the same family of monotheistic faiths
and beliefs, and although the message of Jesus Christ is rooted in Islamic teachings,
Christianity in the West has often looked to Islam from an antagonistic view point.
page 16
Ambassador Saaddin Al-Tayyib
Hence, there is a pressing need to defend Islam from insulting attacks and falsehood.
By the same token, Muslims in the West are in need of protection against the lifelong
discrimination, harassment, prejudice, and smear campaigns against their self-identity,
self-esteem, human dignity, and mental and physical abuse.
Professor Peter O’Brien, a professor of Political Science at Trinity University, San
Antonio, Texas, has explored the contemporary relation between Muslim immigrants
and host countries in a talk about “public policy building” at UCLA, sponsored by “the
Center for European and Eurasian Studies” and “the Center for Near Eastern Studies.”
In considering the wave of xenophobia that has washed across Europe in the last decade,
he cited a poll in which 33% of the Europeans polled described themselves as racist. He
dismissed claims that neither economic hard times nor a response to 9/11 could explain
the hostility to Muslim immigrants in Europe because unemployment was worse in
the 1970s and had not generated xenophobia, and because xenophobia had begun very closely to a point where we can ask “when the enemy has been dehumanized and
before 9/11. portrayed as demonic and parasitical, what further justification is needed to persecute
In the view of Professor O’Brien, the European liberal tradition, from the time of and finally exterminate it?”
Enlightenment in the 18th century, has rested on a credo of conversion to a common It is reassuring, all the same, that some in the West, like British scholar Jeremy Henzell-
set of secular nationalist values. When this credo encounters a population that would Thomas, still firmly believe that: “Xenophobia is the last refuge of those who are
not convert, like Muslims, that tradition reacts with hostility. Those who resist incapable of that expansion of the heart which enables us to engage with and to
converting have been seen as critics and described as irrational and un-free. Many embrace the “other”, to welcome and love the stranger in our midst, and beyond that,
European governments have formulated policies on the premise that full assimilation to connect with the rest of humanity wherever they may be. True modernity, for us all,
of Muslims in Western societies is the goal. is to embrace the challenge of a connected world, to identify and dissolve the forms of
Integration is admittedly needed, as immigrants must adapt to their new environment. parochialism which limit us.”
Both sides should appreciate each other’s circumstances and concerns. They should There is a strong need, therefore, to stem the rising tide of Islamophobia, redress
also endeavor to clarify the notion of the “other” through rapprochement, dialogue, racial vilification, and shun religious defamation, simply because the diversity of our
and education. societies is our strength. Peace, security, and harmony can only be built on the twin
Although Western enlightenment has involved the celebration of universal values and pillars of respect and justice, in a world where all people feel safe and valued. p
a common human nature, it seems that the old enlightenment curriculum is a mono-
culture devoted to perpetrating the view of Western civilization as inherently superior
to its rivals. Referring to the plight of Muslim immigrants in the West, German Ambassador Saaddin Al-Tayyib
academic Gunter Grass has written in one of his articles that such a climate brings us is a leading Advisor to the Secretary General of the OIC.
from Building Ethical
Values and Accountability
Education is undoubtedly the most important institution in the
building of ethical values which contribute to the development
of responsible, trustworthy and ethical personalities or citizens.
Along with its goal of imparting knowledge, developing skills and
moulding right attitudes, good and holistic education systems
have always emphasised the importance of character development.
However, as John Heenan states in Building Character Through
Cornerstone Values, “it was only in the last decades of the twentieth
century that educators moved from character education to what
has become known as “values” education. Consequently, the idea
that “teachers, parents or other adults should directly instruct
children in right and wrong or even try to influence their values”
was explicitly rejected.
In Malaysia the national educational philosophy recognizes the importance of religious
and moral education and it is incorporated as part and parcel of the primary and
secondary school curricula. It is in the religious and moral education classes that ethical
values are taught. The effectiveness of these classes, however, has been questioned by
the public and a serious review is underway.
Judging by the increasing rate of crime, environmental degradation and moral
decadence in our industrialised and industrialising nations, it would appear that the
power of human reason which produced the extraordinary scientific and technological
advancements has failed to strengthen the moral conscience of contemporary societies.
The lopsided education which prides itself in producing professional and technological
skills is also witnessing the destructive consequences of not paying due attention to
the moral and spiritual development of the citizens. The market forces’ emphasis
on marketable skills and technical competencies as the most desirable educational
products tends to minimise the importance of educating morally-oriented individuals,
but the increase in white-collar crimes and corporate frauds has motivated many
university authorities to introduce courses on ethics in business, engineering and other
professional disciplines.
It is interesting to note that according to a 1991 article in The Journal of Business Ethics
the ethic of the 1980s revolved around “Social Darwinism – ‘survival of the fittest’ and
‘the strong are morally superior’; perversion of the Protestant ethic into a license to
page 18
Professor Mohd. Kamal Hassan
misbehave; greed; the desire to flirt with danger; and winning.” Other motives behind
the “ethics crisis” of contemporary society are traceable to Machiavellian thinking –
“expediency,” “ends justify the means,” materialism, and ethical relativism. Therefore,
the economic and materialistic goals of education have to be integrated and balanced
with the moral and spiritual objectives if it is to succeed in moulding the ethical citizen
and “the moral society.”
Although moral education is “woefully lacking in higher education,” some high
schools in the United States have developed teaching guides for character education
by focusing on ten core ethical values such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility,
fairness/justice, caring, citizenship, honesty, courage, diligence and integrity (www.
goodcharacter.com). In a society which subscribes to the doctrine of situational ethics
or the ideology of moral relativism, the effectiveness of teaching the above as values
per se is highly limited. It is almost as futile as trying to teach morality in an immoral
society. “The lack of confidence in our nation’s corporations, and the corporate
chicanery,” Julianne Malveaux writes in Black Issues in Higher Education “are both a
function of the immorality that has always been an inherent part of our society, the
implicit immorality and exploitation that comes from a capitalist form of economic
organisation.”
In the Malaysian context, values are normally regarded as founded on religious beliefs,
in which the belief in God is paramount. This is reflected in the Rukun Negara (Pillars
of State Ideology) and the Federal Constitution. Therefore, values are generally
perceived as principles and it is possible to identify a cluster of core values/principles
in our society consisting of the following: commitment to and respect for knowledge,
wisdom and truth; faith and piety in God; obedience and love of parents; respect
for elders and teachers; accountability to God and human authority; purification
of the soul, and justice and fairness; responsibility and discipline; honesty, integrity
and trustworthiness; compassionate and caring for the natural environment, the sick,
the poor and children; courage and diligence in good deeds; and cleanliness in body
and mind.
These values/principles can be made more effective if they are conceived by people as a
system of duties that good human beings and good citizens are obliged to fulfil. Duties
can be divided into two parts – duties of commission and duties of omission. While
the principles/duties of commission are aimed at creating a culture and an atmosphere
conducive to ethical behaviour and awakening the ethical consciousness of one’s fellow-
beings by word and deed, the principles/duties of omission are aimed at preventing
or abstaining from all forms of human activity that would lead or be conducive to the
creation of conditions of immorality or unethical behaviour or illegal acts.
The teaching and building of values and accountability to God and human authority
in educational institutions – beginning with the family, then the school, the college,
the university and finally, the work place – should involve the raising of consciousness
that it is wrong, prohibited and sinful.
In Islam, the doctrine of “enjoining the good and prohibiting the evil” (al-amr bi’l-
macruf wa’n-nahy can al-munkar) incorporates the idea of complementing the values
or principles of commission with the values or principles of omission. Both formal
education and informal education in Muslim societies emphasize this moral doctrine
but human as well as systemic failures and weaknesses make the doctrine ineffective in
producing the moral society in which integrity is pervasive and paramount.
In this era of globalisation and religious extremism, it is important for Malaysian
education to promote also the values of patriotism, religious moderation and respect
for racial, cultural and religious diversities. With economic and cultural globalisation,
Malaysian institutions and political leaders may be controlled, manipulated or bought
over by the forces of world hegemony. Integrity, loyalty and love for the nation
above self are needed to act as a strong deterrence against the sinister forces of global
dominance. The strengthening of the values of moderation and respect for the right
to be different in a democratic society is essential to maintain the political stability and
harmony of Malaysia’s multiracial and multi-religious society. Therefore, all schools,
national or communal, public or private, in particular the religious or missionary
schools and colleges, in a country such as Malaysia should incorporate the teaching of
those values in the curriculum.
The role of parents, teachers, lecturers and leaders as ethical role models and living
examples of “towering personalities” in terms of high moral conduct, honesty and
incorruptability cannot be underestimated in any educational system. p
Dr. Mohd. Kamal Hassan is a professor at the International
Islamic University Malaysia.
from Islam and Other Faiths
Brotherhood and Peace
‫ميحرلا نمحرلا هللا مسب‬
The Concept of Religion
Throughout history religion has been abused and misunderstood. Some people use it
as a means of exploitation and suppression, as a pretext for prejudice and persecution.
Some other people use it as a source of power and domination over the elite and the
masses alike. In the name of religion unjustifiable wars have been launched, freedom of
thought and conscience has been oppressed, science has been persecuted, the rights of
the individual has been denied, and in the name of religion injustice has been inflicted
upon humanity with the result that religion itself has suffered many losses.
These are historical facts which no one can deny. But is this the proper function of
religion or the right approach to religion? Could this be the purpose of religion? The
indisputable answer is an emphatic no. There are many religions in the world, and each
one claims to be the one and only true religion. Each religion is supposed to have come
from God for the right guidance of man. But these claims contradict each other.
The Islamic concept maintains that religion is not only a spiritual and intellectual
necessity but also a social and universal need. It is not to bewilder man but to guide
him. It is not to debase him but to elevate his moral nature. It is not to deprive him
of anything useful, or to burden him, or to oppress his qualities but to open for him
inexhaustible treasures of sound thinking and right action. It is not to confine him
to narrow limits but to launch him into wide horizons of truth and goodness. In
short, true religion is to acquaint man with God as well as with himself and the
rest of the universe.
True religion educates man and trains him in hope and patience, in truthfulness and
honesty, in love for the right and good, in courage and endurance, all of which are
required for the mastery of the great art of living. Moreover, true religion insures
man against fears and spiritual losses, and assures him of God’s aid and unbreakable
alliance. It provides man with peace and security and makes his life meaningful. That
is what true religion means in Islam.
The Concept of Brotherhood
O mankind, verily We have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female. And
have made you into nations and tribes, that you may Know each other. Verily the most
honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous (49:13).
page 20
Dr. Mohamed S. El-Awa
A fundamental element in the value system of Islam is the value of human brotherhood.
Human brotherhood in Islam is based on an unshakable beief in the oneness and
universality of God the worshipped, the unity of mankind the worshipper, and the
unity of religion the medium of worship. For the Muslim, God is one, eternal and
universal. He is the creator of all men, The Provider for all men, the Judge of all men,
and the Lord over all men. To him, social status, national supermanship, and racial
origin are insignificant. Before him, all men are equal and brothers of one another.
Muslims believe in the unity of mankind with regard to the source of creation, the
original parentage, and the final destiny. The source of creation is God Himself. The
original common parentage is that of Adam and Eve. To this first parentage, every
human being belongs and of it he partakes. As for the final destiny, there is no doubt in
the Muslim’s mind that it will be to God, the creator, to whom all men shall return.
The Concept of Peace
To appreciate how Islam approaches the question of peace, one has only to consider
a few elementary facts about Islam. Peace and Islam are derived from the same root
and may be considered synonymous. One of God’s names is Peace. The concluding
words of the daily prayers of every Muslim are words of peace. The greeting of the
Muslims when they return to God is peace. The daily salutations among the Muslims
are expressions of peace. The adjective “Muslim” means, in a sense, peaceful. Heaven
in Islam is the home of peace.
The individual who approaches God through Islam cannot fail to be at peace with
God, with himself, and with his fellow men. Taking all these values together, putting
man in his proper pleace in the universe, and viewing life in the Islamic perspective,
men of good faith and principles cannot fail to make our world a better world, to
regain human dignity, to achieve equality, to enjoy universal brotherhood, and to build
a lasting peace. p
Dr. Mohamed S. El-Awa is the Secretary General of the
International Union for Muslim Scholars and Chairman of the
Egyptian Socitey For Culture & Dialogue
Kuwait Fund for Arab
Economic Development
The first development establishment in the Arab World

The foundation of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development

was announced in December 1961 as an initiative of the late Amir
of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, who
was then Minister of Finance. The Kuwait Fund became the first
institution established by the State of Kuwait after its independence
set up to grant financial assistance to Arab and Islamic countries in
the world

The foundation of the Fund at that early time established the State of Kuwait’s
interest in helping developing countries by extending available loans necessary to
execute economic and social development programs based on proper technical and
economic requirements. The Fund built for itself a solid reputation among regional
and international development establishments due to its significant role in the field.
The Kuwait Fund’s activities have increased in numbers and have branched out to
include various parts of the world. The Fund actively contributes to development
projects submitted by Arab countries as well as nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin
America and the Caribbean. Its activities also include finance development projects in
different sectors of national economies including transportation, telecommunications,
agriculture, energy, industry, water and sewerage.
In addition to the Fund’’s activities related to the granting of loans, the Fund also
extends its technical assistance to finance exploratory studies designed to help evaluate
the feasibility and productivity of specific projects. Since its foundation the provision
of grants and technical assistance extended by the Fund has surpassed a total of 196
projects with a total value of over 320 millions US$.
Kuwait Fund activities have not been limited to project financing. The Fund’s activities
also tend to represent the State of Kuwait in regional and international development
by participating in the reimbursement of the State of Kuwait’’s share in the capital of
selected initiatives. By increasing available resources, the Fund is able to mobilize more
loans for developing countries. The Fund’s subscribed participation in the capital of
such initiatives now amounts to over 988 million US$.

www.kuwait-fund.org

page 22
Organisation of The Islamic Conference

ww w. oic - oc i. org