Dr. Al-Turki receives Bangladesh ambassador, SG of Islamic Organization in Latin America

Fozail A. Ghazali

MAKKAH - Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki received Ambassador of the Republic of Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia Syed Khwaja Shirjeel Hasan at the MWL office in Riyadh on 5 November. They discussed the ways of cooperation between the MWL and the Islamic organizations in Bangladesh.

Dr. Al-Turki also received Secretary-General of the Ahl Al- Hadith Society in Pakistan Sheikh Fazlur Rahman Madani. They discussed the situation of Da'wah activities in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Dr. Al-Turki welcomed a delegation of the Asian Federation of Muslim Youth, headed by its president Salman Ahmad Siddiqui, at the MWL headquarters in Makkah on 6 November.

During the meeting they discussed the ways of cooperation between the MWL and the federation in what is useful for Islam and Muslims.

Siddiqui lauded the efforts of the Saudi government in helping Muslims around the globe, especially Muslim minorities, assistance to Islamic schools, building mosques and Islamic centers in different parts of the world. He also lauded the efforts of the MWL in the field of Da'wah.

On the other hand, Dr. Al-Turki also received President of the Islamic Reform Society in Lebanon Sheikh Muhammad Rasheed Al- Meeqati. They discussed the ways of cooperation between the MWL and the society in the service of Islam and Muslims.

Meanwhile, the MWL Secretary-General also received Secretary-General of the Islamic Organization in Latin America and a member of the MWL Constituent Council Engineer Muhammad Yusuf Hajar at the MWL headquarters in Makkah on 6 November. During the meeting they discussed the ways of cooperation between the MWL and the Islamic organizations in Argentina in Da'wah and welfare activities.

Engineer Hajar lauded the services of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Muslims around the globe, especially setting up of the Islamic Cultural Center in Argentina, which Saudi Arabia built for the Latin American Muslims so that they may easily perform the tenets of Islam. He also lauded the efforts of the MWL in the service of Islam and Muslims.

Conference on education emphasizes systems that meet contemporary demands

MWL Staff Writer

MAKKAH - The International Islamic Organization for Education, an affiliate of the Muslim World League (MWL), held its second conference at the MWL headquarters here on 7 November.

On behalf of Secretary- General of the MWL Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, Assistant Secretary-General for the Mosque Affairs Dr. Abdur Rahman Ibn Abdullah Al-Zaid supervised the conference.

While reading out Dr. Al- Turki's address, Dr. Al-Zaid welcomed the members of the organization and emphasized the importance of the conference and the MWL's care for Islamic education.

Following this, Secretary- General of the organization Dr. Abdur Razzaque Zafar discussed the achievements and performance of the organization on passing a year of its foundation through a video film, which recorded the details of setting up of the organization, its foundation, aims and objectives and the accomplishments.

A five-year-plan for future activities of the organization was also presented during the conference, which called for an educational and training system which would meet the demands of various growing stages of students and the demands of Islamic societies in the present age in the light of the Islamic concept of science and knowledge.

The five-year-plan consisted of the following points:

* To introduce general policies, vision, message, aims and resources of the organization;

* To introduce general strategy - short term, medium term and long term - and their aims;

* To prepare an information base and connect it with the international centers for exploration and perception;

* To identify the advisory authorities for the organization in the fields of law, Shari'ah education and training, marketing and administration;

* To study internal and external environment of every city to benefit from the available opportunities and to identify the obstacles to chalk out the suitable solutions for them;

* To make a training chart and to urge the educational institutions that implement some articles of the plan and some other institutions to respond to the remaining demands of the plan so that the aims of the organization could be achieved;

* To make the organization's administration more active;

* To implement a scientific plan for the revenues of the organization and their growth, besides marketing its projects;

* To use the systems, programs, websites and Internet to highlight the services, educational information and announcements of the organization;

* To present the results of the activities of the organization, its branch offices, projects, services and systems.

Finally, the members of the organization discussed the schedules of the conference, thanking the MWL and the organization's secretariat for the achievements of the conference and the organization's blueprint, which the conference prepared.

Prince Naif urges all-out efforts to make Hajj a great success

RIYADH - Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz called upon all government officials and Hajj related organizations, on 2 November, to exert maximum efforts to make the upcoming Hajj a resounding success.

He made the call after chairing a meeting of the Supreme Hajj Committee in the capital city.

Prince Naif said the meeting was held as part of the government's effort to make all-out preparations for Hajj and provide necessary facilities for the pilgrims to perform their religious duties peacefully and comfortably.

The meeting, which was attended by a number of ministers and governors, including Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed, Madinah Governor Prince Muqrin and Hajj Minister Iyad Madani, discussed major issues related to the Hajj operation.

More than two million pilgrims, including 1.2 million from abroad, are likely to participate in the Hajj, which is scheduled to start on 9 February 2003. - AN

OIC transfers headquarters

Islamic Ummah facing difficult times: Belkeziz

JEDDAH - The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has shifted to its new headquarters located at the Madinah Road and Sari Street inter-section here besides the Sari Flyover on the road going towards downtown Jeddah.

The General Secretariat has accordingly informed all diplomatic/consular missions and international organizations in Saudi Arabia of the move, which took place last week. The new telephone and fax numbers are 6900001 and 2751953 respectively.

In a statement here on 14 November, the OIC's General Secretariat renewed its assurances of highest consideration to all diplomatic/ consular missions and international organizations in Saudi Arabia.

According to Secretary General Dr. Abdelouahed Belkeziz, the formation of OIC 33 years ago had ushered in a new era of relations among the Islamic States underpinned by solid bonds of solidarity and interdependence, and marked by unqualified unison of holding on to "Allah's Rope of Faith."

"That is the spirit that allowed the establishment of an international political organization, which has been able to rise in stature to become the second largest international inter- governmental political assembly, after the United Nations, with a membership of 57 States spread across four continents," he added.

He said that the Islamic Ummah was facing difficult times with foreign campaigns launched against it to "degrade the values of our religion, distort its image and reputation, and smear it with allegations of violence and terrorism."

"Such vicious attack can only be repulsed by decisive positions and rising to the challenge... No manna will be coming down from heaven, nor will it suddenly start raining gold and silver," he added.

"Let us come to the rescue of our Muslim brothers who are oppressed in many parts of the world. It is also high time for us to rally to the defense of our faith and religion. All this hinges on our will and our actions, as we contemplate our standing today among the states and nations of the world, and as we contemplate at the same time the eternally resplendent days of Islam, which we all look forward to reviving," he said.

Belkeziz said the OIC had gone from strength to strength, with its roots becoming firmer with the passage of time and its structure becoming studier. "It has become a political power to be reckoned with, a voice and a say and has achieved recognition giving it political weight," he said. Moreover, it has grown into a forum rallying the ranks of Muslims, enhancing their standing, uniting them, reconciling their differences, and bolstering the foundations of their cooperation and solidarity, at the same time strengthening their resolve to give no quarter to their enemies.

He said that the OIC's stature was even more enhanced by the courageous Islamic stands taken by it at the various conferences both at the ministerial and summit levels on all the decisive causes that the Islamic states have confronted and continue to confront everywhere. - RD

IN BRIEF

Relief plane leaves for Albania

RIYADH - A plane loaded with tents, rugs, blankets and foodstuffs left Riyadh on 13 November for Albania in line with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. The donation is part of the humanitarian assistance provided by Saudi Arabia to Muslims all over the world in the blessed month of Ramadhan. - SPA

IIRC distributes 2,180 cartons

JEDDAH - The delegation of the International Islamic Relief Commission (IIRC) in Saudi Arabia, distributed recently big quantities of dates as gifts in Somalia.

The gift of 2,180 cartons of dates were distributed among 4,040 of poor families who were displaced from their homes. Some of the dates went to orphanage, elderly houses, hospitals, and Holy Qur'an teaching centers. - SPA

WAMY organizes camp for university students in Kyrgyzstan

JEDDAH - The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has recently wound up an educational youth camp in Kyrgyzstan which was attended by 100 university students, according to Dr. Abdul Wahab Noorwali, Assistant Secretary-General of WAMY, and responsible for its branch of the Makkah region.

He said the camp, which was conducted by WAMY's office in Central Asia, had featured several educational, cultural and Islamic topics as well as personal development, spiritual uplifting sports and social activities.

He pointed out that the organization of the camp came within the framework of WAMY's programs that aim at spreading Islamic awareness among the Muslims and non-Muslims, and linking youth to the Islamic environment (as most of them have very little knowledge of Islam), developing their potentials and directing their efforts for the service of their societies. - Press Release

SAA hosts Iftar party in Paris

PARIS - The Manager of Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) offices in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, Fahd Hammad hosted here on 15 November an Iftar party. The party was attended by a number of diplomats, airlines managers, travel agents, Arab businessmen, and journalists. The party provided a good opportunity to promote cooperation and coordination in the fields of travel and Hajj facilities. - SPA

Humaid blasts West for double standard

CAIRO - President of the Shoura (Consultative) Council in Saudi Arabia Dr. Saleh Ibn Humaid, on 28 October, accused Western countries of double standard, saying they call for democracy on the one hand and support autocrats and oppressive regimes on the other.

Presenting a paper at the first conference of the Arab Thought Foundation, the Saudi official said developed countries were driven by vested interests and ambitions. "These countries falsely claim that they support the developing countries to achieve progress and stability," the Shoura chief said, presenting a paper on "Shoura and Democracy: A Modern Viewpoint".

He said some countries, which call themselves as the citadel of freedom, democracy and human rights, violate these slogans by supporting autocratic and oppressive regime and triggering conflicts and coups.

Dr. Humaid said Shoura in Islam was meant by exchange of views by experts to take the right decision. He explained the differences between Shoura and Western democracy. "Shoura is a form of public participation in governance," he pointed out.

He said the Shoura Council in Saudi Arabia studies all rules and regulations, monitors performances of government departments and discusses state plans.

Earlier Hazem Al- Beblawi, an Egyptian university professor and consultant for the International Monetary Fund, said the lack of political unity among Arab countries would have a serious knock-on effect on their economies.

"There is an Arab nation, a culture and a common history, but there is no Arab economy, only entities which are not linked economically," he told the conference.

Trade among Arab states amounts to only eight percent of the total volume of business in the Arab world, he said. "There is no agreement among those who control the political destinies of these countries on the fact that economic integration is useful to the Arab nation," he said. - Agencies