Two-Day Executive Council Members
Meeting of the World Muslim Congress
in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Dr. Mozammel Haque
Two-day Executive Council Members Meeting of the World Muslim
Congress (Motamar al-Alam al-Islami) was held in the Conference Hall of Al-Hamra
Hotel, Jeddah Saudi Arabia, on 18-19 December, 2015. The Executive Council Members
of the different branches of the World Muslim Congress (WMC) from various
countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, UK, USA, Australia, India and
Nigeria etc attended the meeting. Diplomats from various Muslim Consulates also
joined in the meeting. Saudi T.V. Channels and media personalities were also
present. Muslim Ulema and scholars from within Saudi Arabia also made their
presentations.
Opening speech by H. E. Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasseef
President of the World Muslim Congress
His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasseef, President of the World
Muslim Congress opened the meeting by welcoming the Executive Council Members
and other participants and said that in the past Executive Council Members
Meeting were held in other countries but this time Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was
chosen for this important Meeting.
His Excellency Dr. Nasseef mentioned that unity of the Ummah is the
dire need of the present-day difficult times. He emphasized that to deal
effectively with the challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah; the Muslim religious
leaders will have to come forward. He stressed on the importance of the role of
Muslim leaders to guide and show the right path to the Muslim youth which is needed
more than ever before.
Dr. Nasseef said that World Muslim Congress, since its inception
many years ago, has provided an excellent platform for the Muslim World’s unity
and to highlight and find solutions to resolve its various problems. The WMC is
striving hard for the cause of world peace and understanding amongst various
religious communities and propagating Islam and its worthy values in its true
spirit.
Dr. Nasseef also mentioned that in order to make the organization
and the performance of the World Muslim Congress more and more effective,
inclusion of new blood in its organization and management was being considered.
The WMC’s President also stressed on all Muslim and non-Muslim Governments, political and social organizations as well as religious leaders of all faiths to guide their followers to spread justice, without which there will be resentment and dissatisfaction, and to guide their followers to shun hatred and see things in their right perspective to create a congenial atmosphere for all to live together and, thus turn this chaotic world into a paradise of peace and tranquility for the present and coming generation.
After his opening remarks, His Excellency Dr. Nasseef invited
speakers to make their presentations aimed at highlighting the difficulties,
injustices and atrocities towards Muslims in various parts of the world and
presenting and stressing for their possible solutions.
Proceedings of the Executive Council Meeting
Of the World Muslim Congress.
The Meeting started with the recitation from the Holy Qur’an. Then
the President of the World Muslim Congress, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullah Omar
Nasseef opened the meeting by welcoming the Executive Council Members and other
participants as well as the diplomats and other both electronic and press
personalities.
First Day – First Session
There were two sessions on the first day, on Thursday, 18th
of December 2015. After the Opening and Welcoming speech by Dr. Abdullah Omar
Nasseef, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayah spoke on building peace in the Muslim
society. Saudi Media Mogul, the former Editor-in-Chief of the Jeddah-based
English daily, Arab News as well as of the Saudi Gazette, Mr.
Khalid al-Maeena, political and media expert, spoke on “How can Muslims
confront Modern Day Challenges”.
HE Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haque,
Secretary General of the Motamar al-Alam al-Islami
His Excellency Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haque, Secretary General of the
Motamar al-Alam al-Islami (World Muslim Congress) delivered his speech.
Senator Raja Zafarul Haque started with going back to the historical
background of the foundation of the World Muslim Congress. He said, “During the
Hajj season Late King Abdulaziz called a meeting of the leaders of Muslim world
here. He cannot make anyone else as the Khalifa. Let us create an organization
which will try to bring Muslims on one platform. Though it was agreed and later
on in 1931 meeting was called by Amini Hussaini Mufti Azam of Palestine and
there this gathering elected the Mufti Azam of Palestine, Al-Hajj Sheikh Amini
Hussaini, as President. They also agreed there should be two Vice Presidents,
one from Asia and the other from Africa. From Asia it was Allama Iqbal and from
Africa it was louba Pasha, ex-president from South Africa. And Mr. Ziauddin
Tabatabai from Iran he was made the first Secretary General, who later became
the Prime Minister of Iran.”
HE Zafarul Haque also mentioned, “The gathering was addressed and
two things were mentioned. Number one, this organization will continue for a
long time to come because the need of the Muslim Ummah to have such an organization.
Number two, he said I placed before you the thought I feel that Muslims will
not have the threat from non-Muslim so much as will face threat from deviated
Muslims. Next he said if you want Muslim world to play a role in the world
affairs you should look after yours and you should be well-educated and they
should have full faith in their religion, its values and its teachings and that
is the only way Muslims can face the world with courage and with success.”
“He was a visionary and you see different kinds of theories being
put forward and organization brought balance and one goes back to his thinking
even at that time, eighty-five years back,” said Mr. Zafarul Haque.
Speaking about the activities of the WMC, Secretary General Mr.
Zafarul Haque mentioned, “We take up the Kashmir issue; we want democratic
peaceful solution of Kashmir; ask the people of Jammu & Kashmir where they
wanted to go; if the people of Kashmir was the first party in their fate which
was to be determined; for that they should be asked to that solution has been
adjusted and agreed upon by the Security Council. There was not one resolution;
there were 23 resolutions; each one of them unanimous; India signed it,
Pakistan signed it. There was an office in Geneva; it used to be called United
Nations Human Rights Commission; now it is Human Rights Council. And we have an
office in Geneva. We sent representatives to preside in these organizations.”
WMC Secretary General also mentioned about the Palestine issue. He
said, “We talked about the Palestine issue; we propagated, we supported and we
know the background of this issue because in 1917 when there was the First
World War ending, the British Government Secretary of State made a declaration
which is called Balfour Declaration on 2nd of November 1917. That
Declaration is that we should encourage the Jews to come in Palestine and stay
there because they were persecuted in Germany. American President wrote to Late
King Abdul-Aziz that you should not oppose their settlement in Palestine as
they are persecuted people by Germany. So you should have that. .You should
have sympathy with them.”
“The reply which was given by Late King Abdul-Aziz is worth writing
in golden letters. He said if some European powers have done some wrong with
Jews we should not be made to pay the price. Our lands, Arab lands, our houses,
our gardens they should not be occupied by them only because somebody else
wronged with them. And everybody understood that he made a right decision and a
right statement,” WMC Secretary General pointed out the background of the
Palestine issue.
Senator Zafarul Haque also mentioned the important role of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the Palestinian cause. He said, “Saudi
Arabia has played a very very important role in support of the Palestinians.
During the period of King Fahad the Israeli government had made a law if
Palestinian goes out of Palestine to Europe, to America or to any other
countries for a short while even he cannot return to his home. So the right to
return is also one of the demands of Palestinians. And they are buying and
purchasing lands and houses in Jerusalem from the Palestinians because they
were under the pressure and they wanted to live on lively outside. So they
wanted to sale their lands. But it was the initiative of the Saudi Government
and the Kingdom that whosoever wanted to sale their lands they should sell to
Muslims and to Saudi Arabia and we will pay the price. Don’t give it to Jews.”
Raja Zafarul Haque also pointed out about
the rights given to the womenfolk in Islam. He also mentioned about human
dignity, human rights and basic principles of Islam.
Speaking about Muslim education, WMC Secretary General said, “Somebody
mentioned that Muslims are not educated; but look at the Saudi Shoura Council;
majority members of this Shoura Council; they are PhDs; PhDs in different
fields of life. Most of them are educated from the West. No other elected body
like the American Senate or the British Houses of Parliament or the Australian
or Canadian, they are not educated as the Saudi Shoura Council members are.”
Dr. Ali Ghamdi, former diplomat
Dr. Ali al Ghamdi spoke on the Situation of Muslim in Kashmir and
Stranded Pakistanis (Biharis) in Bangladesh. Speaking about the situation in
Kashmir, Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi highlighted the issue of Kashmir and explained its
historical background and stressed that it must be solved according to the
Resolution of the United Nations and that Kashmiri people must be given their
right of plebiscite to voice their future.
He further emphasized that both the nuclear powers must do their
best to find a permanent solution to the burning issue of Kashmir to avoid any
more wars between them and in the larger interest of world peace. He also stressed that atrocities and killings
of Kashmiri people must be stopped and they must not be suppressed. And the
United Nations and world powers must also play their role for the sake of justice
and human rights. He hoped that wisdom will prevail and the right of self
determination will be given to the Kashmiri people to solve this very old issue
of the humanity.
Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi also drew attention to the issue of repatriation
of stranded Pakistanis left over in Bangladesh since 1971 after the break up of
Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. He said that Mr. Nawaz Sharif, the present
Pakistani Prime Minister, had promised during his last tenure that he would
bring back the stranded Pakistanis, but the matter is still un-solved. He also
shed light on the role of Rabita Trust, which was established under the
leadership of His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasseef, the then Secretary
General of the Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami) in conjunction
with General Ziaul Haq, the then President of Pakistan in July 1988 to
repatriate and rehabilitate the stranded Pakistanis in the Punjab province of
Pakistan.
Dr. Ghamdi, through the forum of World Muslim Congress asked Senator
Raja Zafar ul Haq, the leader of the House in Pakistan Senate & the
Secretary General of World Muslim Congress, to convey the wishes of the
Executive Members Meeting to Prime Minister of Pakistan, H.E. Nawaz Sharif to
do his national duty and expedite the Resolution about stranded Pakistanis in
Bangladesh and questioned why no attention to solve their problems and to bring
them to Pakistan had not yet been paid.
He stated that the delay in bringing them to Pakistan is like denying the very principles of
the creation of Pakistan. They had migrated to Pakistan not to Bangladesh. They have every right to be
rehabilitated in Pakistan. Pakistani Government and authorities must feel their
pathetic plight and over 40 years of terrible sufferings in Bangladesh and take
immediate steps to resettle them in Pakistan. He said that if 20 crore
Pakistanis did not have a cup of tea for a month there would so much funds that
they could be easily re-settled in Pakistan. And Rabita Trust already had
collected funds for their repatriation and rehabilitation and Pakistan Government
and people must, out of Islamic feelings and brotherhood, put their share and
solve this issue thinking themselves in their place of plight and misery.
Dr. Rayan Fawzi Arab spoke on the importance of Dawah in these
difficult times of the Ummah. After him, Mr. Mohammad Yahya al-Asadi delivered
his speech on the situation in Palestine.
Second session
After the break for refreshments and Maghreb prayers, the second
session started with the presentation of Ms. Ambia Parveen on the situation of
the Rohingya Muslims. Dr. Tasneem Zaman spoke on the Empowerement of women and
Dr. Tariq Javaid Abbasi spoke on Islam, Extremism and the Role of Muslim
leaders.
Dr. Tariq Javaid Abbasi
Dr. Tariq Javaid Abbasi spoke on the Role of Muslim leaders and
organizations in combating extremism. He said to combat terrorism and to spread peace and
tranquility, besides the Governments and political organizations, and
peace-loving public, the religious and faith leaders have a prophetic role to
play as they can use their influence negatively or positively. In that spirit, allow me to share with you
what I believe to be the role of religious leaders in enhancing commitment to
respect and value people of diverse faiths, and promoting peace and harmony
amongst faith communities.
Dr. Abbasi said, “I believe
religious and faith leaders have not spoken enough about justice and peace.
Perhaps they represented their government’s policies and ignored justice; maybe
they were concerned only with their own internal problems and interests and
ignored the burning issues of the world. For example, how many countries suffer
now under oppression, lack of human rights, social injustice, occupation,
newest form of colonialism and the like? Religious leadership has not spoken
enough about this.”
“If religious leaders will only
raise their voices in a concerted way, they will become a beautiful, effective
symphony of justice that will disrupt injustice and end violations of human
rights,” he said.
Dr. Abbasi also mentioned that God calls us to seek together the
values our faith traditions hold in common, such as justice, peace,
forgiveness, respect, toleration, understanding and love.
Speaking about extremism, Dr. Abbasi said, “We understand and agree that there are
people who has been very successful in brainwashing some of the Muslims, but
the number is limited because of their movement restrictions and media access.
However, there has been another entity very active in brainwashing the whole
nations about their behaviours towards Muslims. I place both media and the
extremists in the same category, both are involved heavily in their dirty work,
one can be seen as non violent and other as violent, but both causing huge
damage to the society. One legal form of brainwashing, and one illegal.”
Speaking about Islamophobia, Dr.
Abbasi said, “In the west as well as USA Islamophobia is high on agenda,
Muslims are the targets of hate crimes, especially Muslim women who wear the
Hijab and men wearing Islamic clothing who are easily identifiable as Muslims.
Muslims women have been complaining about the increase in anti Muslim
propaganda in the media, resulting people spitting on them, pulling the hijab
off their heads, calling them terrorists. People are being programmed to behave
in a certain way towards Muslims.”
“There
are around 1.6 billion Muslims around the globe, and 0.0000001% are promoting
and practicing twisted form of religion, and the rest, in a greater percentage
we are all law abiding peace loving community living amongst people of other
faiths without any issues whatsoever,” he said..
Dr. Tasneem
Nusrat Zaman
Dr. Tasneem Nusrat
Zaman spoke on the Empowerment of
Women in Islam. She mentioned, “Throughout
history we witness the derogatory condition of women. In most societies they
were nothing more than commodities, to be bought and sold, without any rights
at all, buried alive when born, and burnt with the death of her husband.”
Dr. Zaman how the Holy
Qur’an empowered women. She quoted from the holy Qur’an:
(Verily, the Muslim men and women, the believing men
and women, the men and the women who are obedient (to Allah), the men and women
who are truthful, the men and the women who are patient, the men and the women
who are humble (before their Lord Allah), the men and the women who give
Sadaqat (i.e. Zakat, and alms, etc.), the men and the women who observe Saum
(fast), the men and the women who guard their chastity and the men and the
women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues Allah has prepared
for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).)
[Al Ahzab, 35]
Dr. Zaman mentioned, “In spite of the Qur’anic
injunctions men have always assumed some superiority over women and have
dominated the world and relegate women to the background. Cultures and civilizations
have always given legality to male superiority and have accordingly developed
myths and conventions that tend to provide the fuel to legitimize them. Through
time women have consistently, if grudgingly, borne the brunt of this male
domination. Such inequities have been a feature of all human societies, from
antiquity to our contemporary times.”
Dr. Zaman has reproduced a long quotation from
Samana Siddique, a Chicago-based writer. She said, “In order to continue the
process of the strengthening women in the Muslim community, which has been recognized as a long term process,
and to avoid the negative connotations Samana Siddique, a Chicago based writer
and content manager at Sound Vision suggests some simple ways to begin:
1. Recognize and validate traditional women’s
roles; 2. Address domestic violence and family abuse head on; 3. Acknowledge
and recognize women volunteers, specifically; 4. 4. Teach Women’s
Studies….Islamic style; 5. Set up an Aisha bint Abu Bakr Scholarship; 6.Incorporate
stories of Muslim women in Friday Khutbas; 7. Make sure sisters are represented
in the mosque, Islamic center or organization’s leadership; 8.Drop unIslamic
double standards in word and action; 9. Start a Muslim women’s debate club and 10.
Give them the info they need to seek knowledge.
Re-Structuring of the Executive Organization
Of
The World Muslim Congress
The Re-Structuring of the
Executive Organization of the World Muslim Congress was discussed by its Executive
Council Members and they felt that including new blood, by adding highly
educated, talented, capable and energetic younger people, was necessary. It was
unanimously decided to make the following appointments to re-organize the
Executive Council set up to foster/strengthen numerous activities and functions
of the Congress to make the over-all performance of the organization more and
more effective. The appointments were announced by Mr. Malik Khan, Member of
the Congress from USA:-
New Office Bearers of the Motamar al-Alam al-Islami
1. Dr. Omar
Abdullah Nasseef
Asst Secretary General for Europe and
Americas
2. Dr. Mohammad
Abdullah Nasseef
Asst Secretary General for Africa and
Middle East
3. Dr. Sale al Aed
Asst Secretary General
4. Mr. Raja
Muhammad Ali-
Asst Secretary General for Asia and
Pacific
Advisors:
1. Dr. Tanweer
Hasan Zaman
2. Dr. Mozammel
Haque
3. Dr. Tariq
Abbasi
4. Dr. Tasneem
Zaman
Adoption
of the Final Communique
Of
the Executive Council Members Meeting
The Executive Council Members
Meeting adopted the following Communique:
The final communiqué of the Members of the
Executive Council of the meeting of the Motamar al Alam al Islami (World Muslim
Congress) held in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the 7th-8th
Rabi ul Awal 1437, corresponding to 18th & 19th of December 2015.
The Members of the Executive Council have
adopted the following communiqué to
1.Thank Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala for the success
of the meeting.
2. Thank the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques
King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al Saud for his continuous support for Islamic and
Muslim causes.
3. Appreciate the initiative of Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosque King Salman bin Abdul Aziz for setting up 34 state Islamic
military coalition to combat terrorism
4. Condemn the killing and torture of innocent
people by Daesh and other terrorist groups in the name of Islam.
5. Declare that the killing and torture of
innocent people of any community by Daesh and other terrorist groups is against
the teaching of the Holy Quran and Sunnah the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
6. Declare that killing and torture of innocent
people of any community by any individual or group is against the teaching of
the Holy Quran and Sunnah Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
7. Condemn Islamophobia and all Islamophobic and
racist attacks on Muslims in various parts of the world.
8 Urge governments of all countries where
Islamophobia is common to take strong and effective measures to protect
Muslims.
9.Appreciate the support of various communities
against Islamophobia and attack on Islam and Muslims
10. Urge all Islamic centres and masjids to
regularly hold workshops and educational programmes to prevent radicalization
of the youth
11. Condemn the production of the film on the
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and urge for its removal from the You
Tube
12. Condemn the production of any derogatory
material, digital or otherwise on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
13. Appreciate all the countries that have
accepted Syrian refugees who have to flee their country and taken shelter in
various countries to be saved from persecution.
14. Urge the Indian government to take action in
protecting the minority community from intolerance and persecution of the
majority Hindu community
15. Urge the Indian government to agree to the
plebiscites on the issue of Kashmir and condemn the regular excesses by the
Indian troops on the innocent people of Kashmir.
16. Condemn the persecution and killing of the
Rohingiya Muslims and urge the new elected government to take positive action
in protecting them.
17. Urge the world conscience to condemn the
regular killing of Palestinians and find a final solution to the problem and
establish a sovereign Palestine state.
18. Condemn
the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine.
19. Condemn the attack and desecration of any
place of worship, be it a mosque, church, synagogue or temple.
20.Urge the Pakistani government to repatriate
the stranded Pakistanis who are living in camps in Bangladesh for the past 44
years especially the divided families.
21. Urge the Bangladesh government to stop the
execution of Islamic personalities through courts which are not following
international norms of judiciary trial.
22. Urge Muslims anywhere in the world to adopt
the Islamic code of conduct in all matters and channel all protests through
peaceful means.
23. Urge all Muslims to participate in Dawah
activities to promote the true spirit of Islam to
various non-Muslim community in a practical and peaceful manner.
The Meeting concluded its business thanking
Allah-Almighty for the success of the Meeting and greatly thanked His
Excellency Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasseef, the President of the World Muslim
Congress, for the warm hospitality extended to them during their stay at
Jeddah, and highly appreciated the efforts of His Excellency Dr Abdullah Omar Nasseef
and of the members/staff of World Muslim Congress, President’s Office at Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia.
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