New Delhi: Muslim World League chief, Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa slammed terror outfits and said that they operate on “distorting the image of religions” while asserting that “Islam and terrorism have nothing to do with each other.”
During his five-day visit to India, Al-Issa expressed concern over the escalating conflicts and wars worldwide. Regardless of the reasons behind these conflicts, he called for “peace and love amongst all.”
Emphasising the significance of resolving the wars through dialogue and wisdom, Al-Issa said in an exclusive interview, “So that they can be resolved, so we always support understanding and dialogue among them."
When asked about terrorist organizations such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, Taliban, and Boko Haram, which pose serious threats to global peace, progress, and stability, the Muslim World League chief asserted that these organizations have nothing to do anything with religion.
Shiekh Al-Issa said, “These terrorist organisations don’t represent anyone except themselves, they have no religion or country.”
The Islamic scholar also stated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has one of the “strongest platforms” to combat such ideas.
“We at the Muslim World League are working on uprooting these ideas from existence.… They are ideological ideas, so that’s why we need to face them in the ideological field and uproot these ideas,” he added.
Al-Issa has remained vocal against terrorism, and in an address to the “Dialogue for Harmony among Religions,” on Wednesday, he again took a dig at organisations that promote terrorism.
“Misconceptions, hate theories and wrong perceptions have expedited the road from radicalization to terrorism. To entrench power, many leaders have used hate narratives to ensure their own control and relevance,” he said on Wednesday.
Al-Issa, an Islamic scholar and renowned figure in global affairs also appealed to religious leaders, who according to him are the “first in line to raise awareness on combating extremists who have taken arms.”
He said that he had no doubt that the role of religious leaders in this regard is very important. “And of course, these ideas and these movements that take up arms, are based on distorting the image of these religions. And that is why religious leaders must take up their roles to confront them.”
The Muslim World League chief also bemoaned the idea of relating terrorism with Islam.
“Of course, terrorism which is falsely acclaimed related to Islam, the Muslim religious leaders are playing a big role in making this disassociation that Islam and terrorism have nothing to do with each other,” he said.
Through Muslim World League, which is the “biggest umbrella for Muslim leaders around the world,” Al-Issa said, “we are taking up this issue and combating terrorism.”
He also underlined the need for dialogue, understanding, and ideological efforts to combat terrorism and promote peace.
He also underscored that many Indian Muslim scholars have signed the Charter of Mecca, an important document in Islamic history, which confronts the ideas of extremism and terrorism.
More than 1,200 mufti and senior scholars of the Islamic world are part of this charter and it has been signed by over 4,500 Islamic thinkers, said Al-Issa.
The timing of Al-Issa's visit to India is very significant as he is close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Moreover, PM Modi is also travelling to the United Arab Emirates on July 15 to meet President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expand bilateral ties.
Al-Issa who is the current Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), is on a five-day visit to India that began on July 10.
He is an Islamic scholar and a leading voice on moderate Islam. He is also a promoter of inter-faith dialogue and world peace.
Before being appointed as the Secretary General of the Muslim World League in 2016, Al-Issa served as the Minister of Justice in the Saudi Cabinet. (ANI)
