Author: Sobhy Mujahid
Publication: IslamOnline.net
Date: April 30, 2004
URL: http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-04/30/article05.shtml
World Muslim scholars meeting in
Cairo urged incorporation of Sharia into the International Law to avoid
eruption of more crises or other forms of injustice.
"Some western researchers have found
out that Islamic principles could be used to develop the International
Law and incorporate its moral values into it," said Jaafar Abdel-Salam,
the secretary general of the Islamic Universities Association.
He was speaking at the International
Islamic Conference, held in Cairo from April 28 till May 1 under the title
of "Tolerance in Islamic Civilization".
Addressing the sixteenth session
of the Conference, Abdel-Salam, himself a professor of International Law,
said the application of Sharia along with the International Law would help
set up a world system "turning countries closer to each other".
"Islam, with its practices, is the
best of international systems that could achieve peace," said Mohamed Dissouki,
an International Law professor at Al-Azhar University, in the conference.
Abdel-Salam also stressed that the
role of the United Nations should be enhanced and its system modified to
prevent domination of specific countries.
He was referring to the veto power
wielded by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council; the
United States, Russia, China, France and Britain.
Dissouki, was of the same mind.
"The International Law has recently
tilted towards unequal treatment of people, as some agreements turned into
valueless pieces of paper when they came against the interests of such
a super power as the United States," he lamented.
Islam, on the other hand, deeply
respects vows, treaties and agreements and warns against the serious consequences
of their violation, Dissouki averred.
He cited that the United States
had enforced its veto power in the Security Council several times of the
year, mostly to kill draft resolutions condemning Israel for aggressions
against the Palestinians.
In September, the U.S. employed
its veto to kill an Arab-driven resolution condemning Israel for its decision
to expel Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
On October 14, the U.S. vetoed a
Syrian-proposed U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israel for
continuing its construction of the separation wall, which snakes through
the Palestinian territories in the West Bank.
Ending Fatwa Battle
The participants also urged Muslim
scholars to end their conflict on a number of social and jurisprudence-related
issues.
Essam al-Bashir, the Sudanese Minister
of Waqfs (Endowments), said the "battle" between scholars on fatwas or
religious edicts should be settled.
"This weakens their edicts. We should
adopt a moderate trend away from this wrangle" on hot issues, Bashir said.
Muslim scholars, however, heaped
blame on western media outlets for an "unfair" campaign against Islam.
"Showing Islam as an enemy - in
place of communism - of the west stocked up sentiments of hatred, bias
and discrimination against the religion and its followers," said Mohamed
Youssef, from the Islamic organization of Latin America.
Youssef lamented that the Muslim
communities in Latin America mostly feel the need to boost religious awareness,
increase the number of Islamic schools and make swift and permanent contact
with the Islamic world.
Mohamed El-Masri, of the Canadian
Islamic Congress, said Muslims need to change, not Islam.
"Islam is a religion of reform.
What rather needs change is its followers," Masri said, urging Muslims
to regain power for effectively dealing with current issues.
"In Europe, where the number of
Muslims are noticeably growing, they are in need for guidance," said Ismail
Amin, the imam of al-Aqsa Mosque.
