Tawfiq Al -Sibai
The Kingdom of Bahrain, in light of the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of the country, may God protect and preserve him, continues to enhance its blessed efforts to build bridges of communication and dialogue between the sons of the Islamic nation, as the past two days hosted the Islamic-Islamic Dialogue Conference under the slogan “ One nation and a common destiny. ” This event comes under the auspices of His Majesty the Great King, may God support him, the joint organization of Al -Azhar, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, and the Council of Muslim Elders, as a leading step to embody the message of coexistence and harmony that has long distinguished Bahrain throughout history; What confirms its steadfast commitment to the principles of tolerance and loneliness.
In light of the prosperous era of His Majesty the great king, the Kingdom highlights its ancient civilized legacy in promoting the concepts of coexistence, acceptance and brotherhood, as it was considered one of the first lands that responded to the call of Islam, which established in its history the values of truth and guidance. Today, these values are embodied through a series of continuous initiatives that aim to collect the spectra of the Islamic nation and unify their visions to face contemporary challenges.
The conference witnessed the presence of more than 400 prominent personalities of scholars, thinkers and opinion leaders, who came from various parts of the Islamic world to exchange opinions on ways to consolidate constructive dialogue, promote unity, and confront exploitative attempts to religious and sectarian spacing. Participants in his sessions dealt with several topics, including the necessity of overcoming historical differences and focusing on common points such as sacred writers, kiss and pillars of religion, which confirms that Islamic unity is the best way to confront the current political, economic and social challenges.
Bahrain’s efforts were not limited to this conference only, but also reflects a series of initiatives that ignited the spirit of coexistence in society, including the “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Coexistence”, which coincided with the historical visit of Pope Francis, in addition to previous experiences such as Islamic dialogue- The Christian in 2002 and the conference between Islamic schools of thought in 2003. Initiatives such as the “Declaration of the Kingdom of Bahrain” also contributed to dialogue Between religions and peaceful coexistence, and the establishment of the “King Hamad International Center for peaceful coexistence”, in consolidating the image of Bahrain as a global platform for dialogue and moderation. In his supreme speech, His Majesty the Great King, may God protect and preserve him, stressed the importance of Islamic unity
As an essential pillar to confront the challenges, and to overcome the differences that separated the ranks, as His Majesty emphasized the importance of “spreading moderate thought, and stopping religious and sectarian exploitation threatening the stability of societies and the rule of homelands, which, in turn, requires the creation of renewed and serious mechanisms to expand the circle of understanding and rapprochement to include all components Our Islamic societies, and a wise leadership of symbols and religious references from all schools and intellectual sects.
For their part, the participants, in the forefront, affirmed the virtue of the Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed Al -Tayyib, Sheikh of Al -Azhar Al -Sharif, Chairman of the Council of Muslim Elders, that the conference represents an important step towards renewing Islamic thought and establishing the foundations of constructive dialogues, which restore Muslims unity, and allows them to express the essence of Islam in a moderate way keeps pace with the challenges of the times. They explained that the exchange of opinions between the nation’s scholars reinforces their capabilities to face successive crises and stand in the face of extremism and hate speech.
The “Islamic-Islamic Dialogue” conference represents a leading global platform that reflects the Kingdom of Bahrain’s keenness to present a role model in enhancing security, peace and coexistence between peoples, through investing its cultural heritage and its fixed positions in supporting the initiatives of rapprochement between religions and cultures. These efforts and initiatives are part of a long -term strategic vision that seeks to build a future in which peace prevails, and the values of brotherhood and unity flourish.
Thanks to this balanced approach and the wise leadership of His Majesty the great king, the Kingdom of Bahrain assures the world that dialogue and understanding are the basis in facing challenges and building a society based on justice and mutual respect, believing that “Islamic unity is the shield of the nation against every paradox and challenge.”
