Makkah al-Mukarramah — Shahid Nayeem
The Muslim World League (MWL) hosted the ‘Islamic Conference of Declaration of Peace in Afghanistan’.
The conference which was held in Makkah and sponsored by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The conference was marked as a ‘milestone’ in terms of enhancing dialogue between senior scholars of Afghanistan and Pakistan to reconcile among fighting Afghani factions. It also aimed to consolidate peace in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The conference reflects the MWL key role in resolving all disputes and differences within the social fabric of the Islamic Ummah under the sponsorship and unremitting support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a leading Islamic country.
The opening session was chaired by MWL Secretary General Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who is also the President of the Organization of Muslim Scholars. Other prominent speakers include Sheikh Dr. Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony and Sheikh Muhammad Qasem Halimi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Haj, Endowments and Guidance.
The conference was attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Bilal Akbar, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Javed Mujadidi, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Ambassador Shafiq Shamim, Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Five sessions was held in the conference with the participation of more than 20 speakers including senior scholars. The sessions focus on five themes discussing peace, tolerance, moderation, reconciliation, Islam’s approach to protecting a man’s dignity and life, peace-building in the light of the Islamic principles. The session also address regional peace and security and the role of scholars in resolving regional conflicts and supporting peacebuilding efforts. At the end of the conference, the concluding statement was declared.
Religious scholars from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia at a meeting held within the framework of the Muslim World League (MWL), in the Muslim holy city of Makkah on Thursday, called for a swift halt to the war in Afghanistan, calling on the Afghan warring factions to follow the path of peace and reconciliation and resolve their differences through at the negotiation table.
Meanwhile, a number of scholars in Afghanistan have said that the current war waged by the Taliban has no justification and cannot be called a Jihad (Holy war). Some scholars in Pakistan have also raised their support for the Afghan peace process.
The virtual meeting was hosted by the Saudi government.
Scholars said that Islam teaches tolerance and peace. They called on the Afghan government and the Taliban to resolve their differences through talks.
“We should stop the explosions and the suicide attacks which make victims of our children, scholars and others in the country. Our opponents are also our Muslim brothers. But we do not act like them and do not brand them infidels,” said Mohammad Qasim Halimi, the Afghan minister of religious affairs and pilgrimage.
“Muslims are being killed inside the mosques, the children are being killed during their birth, attacks are launched on universities and hospitals,” said Halimi.
Pakistani scholars meanwhile described peace in Afghanistan in the interest of the region and Pakistan.
“The government, people and scholars of Pakistan want to see peace in Afghanistan,” said Noor-ul-Haq Qaderi, a Pakistani scholar.
“We hope that Saudi Arabia continues its cooperation with us until there is peace in Afghanistan,” he said.
“Peace is quite important for Afghanistan. Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan. There is an opportunity for political stability in Afghanistan,” said Iftekhar Hussain Naqvi, a Pakistani cleric.
Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia at the meeting said that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.
The event, hosted by Saudi Arabia, brought together senior scholars from Afghanistan and Pakistan for a “historic, landmark event on the path toward reconciliation between warring factions, in an effort to end the fighting and bring peace to the country,” Arab News reported, citing an announcement of the organization
