OIC stresses need for coordinated propagation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Religious leaders from 22 member nations of the
\nOrganization of Islamic Conference (OIC) concluded their two-day
\nmeeting here yesterday, agreeing to coordinate their Islamic
\nda'wah, or propagation, efforts.<\/p>\n
Over 100 Moslem experts deliberated at length about the
\nvarious difficulties they face in spreading Islam and about
\nstrategies for improving the welfare of its followers.<\/p>\n
They named, among other obstacles, the lack of exchange of
\nexpertise among themselves, global political and economical
\nimbalance as well as widespread misperceptions of Islam.<\/p>\n
The meeting also listened to a presentation by Indonesian
\nMinister of Population Haryono Suyono. In his speech, Haryono
\ndiscussed the results of the world conference on population in
\nCairo last September, which received wide criticism from many
\nreligious leaders at the time.<\/p>\n
The meeting was closed by Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher and the participants are scheduled to pay a visit
\nto the IPTN aircraft company in Bandung today.<\/p>\n
In addition to their task of finalizing a draft on da'wah
\nstrategies for the next five years, yesterday's discussion also
\ntackled a number of other related issues, including the Serbian
\npersecution of Bosnian Moslems and Russia's military intervention
\nin predominantly-Moslem Chechnya.<\/p>\n
On the Cairo conference, which many religious groups claimed
\nendorsed homosexuality, Dr. Kamil Sharif of the International
\nIslamic Council for Da'wah and Relief said the Cairo agenda was
\nunwelcome in many societies.<\/p>\n
\"(There was some) arm twisting (by the United Nations) of
\nthose governments that hesitated (in accepting its resolutions),\"
\nSharif said, suggesting that Moslem societies join forces to
\nhandle such coercion.<\/p>\n
Minister Haryono rebutted the charge, citing Indonesia's
\nsuccessful campaign to balance religious values with concerns
\nover a population explosion.<\/p>\n
He also called on the Moslem leaders to move away from
\ndiscussion and actively address population issues.<\/p>\n
The meeting yesterday also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian
\npeace talks, with most of the participants displaying
\ndisagreement with the process.<\/p>\n
Political issues<\/p>\n
\"We can't overlook political issues.. and Moslems throughout
\nthe world should make clear that we cannot accept solutions,\"
\nKamal Sharif said.<\/p>\n
He also said that the Moslem countries should clearly reject
\nIsrael's stance on Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
The meeting agreed on the need to build better relations among
\nda'wah institutions and also between institutions and individual
\ngovernments.<\/p>\n
It also agreed in principle on a draft strategy prepared by
\nthe OIC expert committee on the coordination of Islamic action,
\nled by Dr. Abdullah Omar Nashef of Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
The draft proposes that Moslem leaders should, for instance,
\nurge Islamic governments to support and fund official da'wah
\nbodies.<\/p>\n
The meeting agreed to begin creating an international Moslem
\nWaqaf (endowment) body for Islamic propagation, to establish
\ninvestment projects in favor of the body and to utilize the
\npotential and expertise of the Islamic development bank in
\nsupporting Islamic causes.<\/p>\n
The last speaker in the meeting, Dr. Amien Rais of Indonesia,
\nidentified several obstacles Islamic propagators face in
\nIndonesia, among them a secularization process and other
\nreligious proselytization targeting Moslem communities.<\/p>\n
\"The obstacles are serious problems,\" he said. \"Secularism is
\nbrought in by Western-educated Moslem children who, in
\nconsequence, think in Western paradigms which see Islam as having
\nlimited moral values.\"<\/p>\n
The most serious challenge, however, lies with religions
\nwhich, he felt, caused the number of Moslems in the last two
\ndecades to decrease by 0.36 percent, he said.<\/p>\n
Almost 90 percent of the Indonesian population of 194 million
\nis Moslem. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/oic-stresses-need-for-coordinated-propagation-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}