International academics were challenged today (Friday June 2) to become the front-line troops in the battle against Muslim extremists.
The challenge was made by Professor Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi, Principal of Dundee’s Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies at an international conference held in the city.
In his opening address to the 2006 International Academic Conference on Islamicjerusalem Studies Professor El-Awaisi said, “There are some academics who present their work as part of a political or religious agenda. This is wrong. We must separate political and religious activism from scholarship. For too long Muslim fundamentalists have misinterpreted the teachings of the Qur’an to justify their actions. I’m calling on international scholars to reflect on our New Agenda. I believe that what the Qur’an really teaches is tolerance and conflict resolution through debate and not violence. That’s not what the fundamentalists are teaching. By presenting our arguments in this new way we are beating the Muslim extremists.”
Professor El-Awaisi put his case against Muslim extremism earlier this year when he launched his book “Introducing Islamicjerusalem” at the Scottish Parliament.
Today academics from universities around the world including the UK, Egypt, and Malaysia attended the conference that was held at the Al-Maktoum Institute.
Baillie Helen Wright, convener of Dundee City Council’s Social Work committee, officially opened the event.
The new field of Islamicjerusalem Studies was founded by Professor El-Awaisi five years ago with the backing of HH Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai who established the Institute in Scotland.
The conference delegates were debating issues raised by the Professor’s book examining what is meant by the area defined as Islamicjerusalem, and what effect relationships between different religions in this region can have on the cause of multiculturalism.
He defines the geographical boundaries as an area covering more than 250 square miles including the cities of Jerusalem, Nablus, Ramallah, Jericho and Hebron.
Over the years Muslims, Christians and Jews have fought over and made claims to the land but Professor El-Awaisi said: “Islamicjerusalem should be defined as a land for everyone, as a closer study of the Qur’an and historical text shows this area was an example of multiculturalism and religious tolerance from as far back as the 7th century.
“It should now be regarded as a global common space where the human family can live in peaceful coexistence. Our challenge today is to embrace a new form of multiculturalism and tolerance for the 21st century and we can only do that through education.”
