By Islam `Abd Al-`Aziz, Cairo, Iumsonline.net, March 18, 2008

Dr. `Awwa (right) and Dr. `Esam Al-Bashir

Dr. Muhammad Salim Al-`Awwa, secretary general of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS), stressed that "the most important thing that the IUMS works for is unifying the Muslim nation, with all its sects and schools of Fiqh." Al-`Awwa added that the IUMS cooperates with all concerned institutions to fulfill its message.

Al-`Awwa's statement came at the beginning of the celebration held by the secretariat-general of the IUMS at its new location in Cairo. The celebration has been attended by a group of prominent scholars from various Muslim countries, mainly Professor Nasr Farid Wasil, former Mufti of Egypt, Sheikh Muhammad `Ali Taskhiri, Deputy Secretary-General of the IUMS and Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, and Dr. `Esam Al-Bashir, the former Sudanese minister of endowments and the secretary general of the International Center for Moderation based in Kuwait. The celebration was also attended by Professor Ahmad Al-`Assal, a member in the secretariat-general of the IUMS; Professor Muhammad Ahmad As-Salih, a professor in the University of King `Abdul-`Aziz; Dr. Salim `Abd Al-Jalil, the Egyptian deputy minister of endowments; Professor `Adil Al-Fallah, the Kuwaiti deputy minister of endowments; and a great number of scholars and intellectuals from Egypt and many other countries.

 Politics Divide but Religion Unites

Al-`Awwa stated that the IUMS "does not discriminate between a Muslim and anyone else on any basis." He also stressed the necessity of directing all efforts toward uniting the Muslim nation, saying, "We are one nation: politics has divided it, but religion always unites us," referring to the Sunni–Shiite disagreement.

He added, "This is possible as long as the Muslims hold fast to the pillars of Islam and the fundamentals of faith, regardless of any differences in secondary issues."

"Working on uniting the nation is not a jurisprudential or creedal task; rather, it is social, national and political. The secret of this nation's power over its enemies lies in its unity." Al-`Awwa continued, "That is why the IUMS cooperates with all Islamic entities which work to achieve the same goal; such as the World Forum for Proximity in Tehran, the International Center for Moderation, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)."

The same ideas were also stressed by the prominent scholar, Sheikh Muhammad `Ali Taskhiri, Deputy Chairman of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, who said, "We are the successors of the scholars who initiated the phase of unified Islamic work," referring to the Institution of Proximity in Egypt, which, according to him, "planted the seed of amicability within the entire Islamic spectrum".

Islam Is a Religion and a State

In his speech, Professor Nasr Farid Wasil, former Mufti of Egypt, stressed that one of the gravest dangers this nation is facing is the deliberate separation between Islam as a Shari`ah (Islamic law) and everyday life activities.

He also indicated that "Islam is both a religion and a state; a creed and a law that should not be separated."  Moreover, Dr. Wasil called upon the IUMS to instill these indisputable facts into the Muslim mind and to educate Westernizing campaigns that attempt to strip Muslims of their identity.

In addition, Professor Salim `Abd Al-Jalil, the Egyptian deputy minister of endowments, stressed the importance of unification and the anticipated role of the IUMS in this regard. He pointed out that the unification and embodiment of Islamic brotherhood are two of the most important means of the Islamic project which will regain this nation's identity.

Addressing Al-`Awwa, `Abd Al-Jalil said, "Proceed with Allah's blessing, and behind you are more than fifty thousand imams and preachers in the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments, who consider themselves members of the IUMS, even if they are not so officially."

In the same connection, Professor `Adil Al-Fallah, Kuwaiti deputy minister of endowments, stated that the IUMS represents new hope for possible Islamic projects, which humanity is awaiting, and which combines both the spiritual and the material, after having become wearied by the Western project.

Al-Fallah also indicated that this Islamic project is depicted through the goals and basic principles of the IUMS; mainly concerned with moderation, inclination toward renovation, seeking to establish Islamic brotherhood and rising above political differences, or any other differences.

IUMS and the Vatican

In her speech, Mrs. Yasmin Al-Husari referred to the necessity of clarifying the issue of the document signed by 138 Muslim scholars, which was used out of context, and was thus, made to appear as a message of beseeching the Vatican for mutual dialogue.

In addition, Al-Husari also drew attention toward the danger of this document represented in the fact that some websites circulated the Vatican's request for Muslims to omit a third of the Qur'an, while referring to it as the Vatican's response to the document and its signatories who requested dialogue.

Al-`Awwa commented on her speech saying that if the request of the Vatican was true, it would be hilarious because the IUMS stand has been announced and is constant: The IUMS refuses any dialogue with the Vatican until it receives an apology from the Pope for the abuse included in his well-known lecture; and moreover, this abuse must be omitted from it.

Furthermore, Al-`Awwa explained that such matters should not consume our time, but; rather, we should busy ourselves with building and uniting the nation.

Collective Ijtihad

Professor Muhammad Ahmad As-Salih, professor in the University of King `Abd Al-`Aziz, spoke about one of the missions of the IUMS which is mainly concerned with renovation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stressed this meaning, saying, "Allah will send for this nation every hundred years, who will renovate its religion for it."

As-Salih explained this, saying that the renovator may not be just one individual; but it could be a group, an authority or an organization. Therefore, As-Salih called upon the IUMS and its members to practice collective Ijtihad (personal reasoning), regarding it as a necessity, and to include in its membership fuqahaa' and experts of the age.

In the same connection, Dr. `Esam Al-Bashir said, "The IUMS should not busy itself with putting out fires, but rather should continue the process of building and renovation." He was referring to the insults coming from the West.

Al-Bashir also explained that the problem of this nation lies in the dispute between the two general tendencies of extremism and negligence. According to him, the IUMS, along with other Islamic authorities working in the same frame work, should implant moderate thinking which is connected to the original message and is attached to the modern age.

Activities of the Headquarters

Toward the end of the ceremony, Mr. Fathi Abul-Ward, manager of the headquarters of the secretariat-general of the IUMS in Cairo, outlined a plan of the activities of the headquarters; the most important of which are the following:

·        A weekly lecture (every Monday), starting from March 31, 2008 with Professor Al-`Assal, entitled, "Qur'anic Depictions", alternately with Professor Haytham Al-Khayyat with a lecture entitled, "In the Company of the Language of the Qur'an."

·        This activity also includes lectures on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every lunar month, entitled, "Contemporary Issues", by Professor Salim Al-`Awwa.

·        Establishing "Knowledge Library" for students and researchers starting from April 1, 2008, from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M

·        A program is being prepared under the title "Scholars of the Future", which aims at preparing a group of researchers and students to be the scholars of the future.

·        Activating the IUMS website and establishing it to receive and publish written material from IUMS members.