Statement of his Excellency Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu
Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic conference
At the U.S.-Islamic world forum
on the state of u.s.-Islamic world relations
Doha - state of Qatar
February 18-20, 2006
Excellencies,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
I deem it a privilege for me to address this important forum of
distinguished policymakers and opinion-shapers. I would like at the outset, to
extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin
Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, for his patronage of this
important forum, also to Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jaber Al-Thani, First
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar. I would also
like to express my thanks and appreciation to the Brookings Institution and
Saban Centre for Middle East Policy for organizing this important meeting,
which brings together American and Islamic world leaders in various fields.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The state of U.S.-Muslim World relations is a very complex issue. It
is a state of admiration, friendship and esteem but it is also, at the same
time, a state of bitterness, injustice and complaint.
For Muslims, the world over, the United States was perceived as a
paradise, Eldorado, or a sublime showcase of prosperity, and good life. It
epitomized the land of genuine civil liberties, abundance, progress and in one
word the land of "the American dream". At least, this was the case for my
generation.
Having no colonial past in the Islamic world, no hegemonic tendencies
outside its frontiers based on President Monroe's doctrine; endowed with an
advanced legal system and governed by true democratic political institutions,
the United States captured the admiration and earned warm feelings in all
Muslim countries until after the Second World War.
The creation of the State of Israel in 1948, marked a turning point in
the U.S.-Muslim world relations, because of the injuries inflicted on the
Palestinian people, and the humiliation suffered by Muslim masses.
But despite that disaster, the sentiments prevailing in the Muslim
world toward the U.S.A. remained rather cordial. This feeling was fostered by
the neutral and positive stand adopted by Washington during the Suez war
against Egypt waged through a combined assault by forces from Israel, U.K. and
France in 1956.
It was only after the 1967 War, that, the sentiments of the Muslims
toward the United States started to become bitter. The American policy started
to be perceived in total inclination or even submission to the demands of
Israel in total disregard to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The Muslim world stood by and fought with the United States and
Western Europe, against communism during the "cold war" era, only to be
rewarded, right after the fall of Berlin Wall, by being declared the new
"potential enemy of the West" Worse still! a wave of denigration and hate was
unleashed against Islam and its adherents through venomous falsehood
disseminated by some circles.
As the just causes and grievances of the Muslims continued to be
rebuffed over decades, especially in Palestine, a sense of helplessness and
despair, and injustice started to creep into the psyche of many Muslims. This
anguish and distress compounded with the socio-economic backwardness and lack
of the benefits of modern life in some parts of the Muslim world. Some of them,
thought that, their salvation resides in returning back to their religion which
brought to their ancestors a glorious past. It is in this environment of
despair, that, ultra fanatic groups flourished and took advantage of these
sentiments, by alluring scores of young Muslims to their radical and deviant
trends.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
September 11, 2001 was shocking, evil and criminal. Muslims, throughout the
world, met this vile and horrible terrorist attack with upfront, swift and
unanimous condemnation. These feelings were genuine and sincere, and they were
not tardy or hypocritical as some alleged. The voices of good are not always
silent, but the voices of hate and bigotry are often louder and bolder.
The OIC, which I have the honour to represent, issued the same day a
strong statement expressing our utter condemnation and indignation, as such
deeds stood disavowed and denounced by the teachings of Islam. From the outset,
many Muslims saw in these appalling events a pitfall to drag them to a
potential harm, and to cause them more distress, hardship and denial of their
rights.
Muslims around the world saw themselves as the big losers. The Muslim World
with its hundreds of million, was subjected to pay for the crime of a few
disoriented fanatics. The war on terror was used by some to demonise Islam and
make Muslims, the focus of irrational anger and hate.
This situation of association of guilt and stereotyping was unfair and
deeply wounded the sentiments of the Muslims all over the world, not to mention
loyal and hardworking Muslim citizens of the USA. Today we are following the
ramifications of this unfortunate trend in Europe especially after the
terrorist attacks in London and Madrid and the murder of a Dutch film director
by a fanatic in Netherlands. We need to remember that these attacks also took
place in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia and other places in the Muslim world.
Palestinians were also the losers of the American-led war on terror as
the necessary context was so easily made up to defame the whole nation which is
trying to survive as a bunch of terrorists.
On the other hand, the frequent use of "veto" right by the United
States to block Security Council decisions which reflect the international
community's consensus with regard to the question of Palestine had already
constituted for the Muslim world an example of the perceived biased policies of
the US.
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq caused in the towns and
villages as the collateral damage of the bombardments, fortified the negative
sentiments in the Muslim World.
Beside the massive destruction of Iraqi infrastructures and
institutions by the heavy bombardment before and during that war, the Abu Graib
incident also deeply hurt the sentiments. Such incidents, apparently also
involving the desecration of Muslims' Holy Book Qur'an, has inflicted a deep
scar in the conscience of the Muslims and its negative effects are still
persisting in minds.
Therefore, the recently released photographs will certainly not be
helpful.
In general in the Muslim World, the United States foreign policies are
perceived by many to be based on the premise of double standard, and not on the
principle of the rule of international law, justice and equality.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I know I have depicted a gloomy picture, but if we want to leave the
past behind and make a new start we have to be in full grip of the overwhelming
perceptions prevailing in the streets of the Muslim World.
Actually when we turn this page, we can see that it is not too difficult to
salvage the state of affairs between the Muslim world and the United States.
Fortunately, all the complaints I mentioned focus only on one sector of the
complex relations between the United States and Islam, mainly the domain of
foreign policy. This chasm of understanding should and can be bridged. Serious
effort to that end should be exerted.
I deeply believe that this entails, inter alia, achieving just and
lasting settlement to the Palestinian question, as well as a peaceful and
stable state of affairs in Iraq which will ensure the restoration of full
sovereignty to the Iraqi people, and safeguarding national unity and
territorial integrity of Iraq beside the withdrawal of all foreign troops.
Solutions to the problems I referred to should be sought in a spirit of justice
and compromise which leads to appease and assuage the feelings of prejudice and
unfairness, and to bring about a climate of peace, hope and cooperation to the
Muslim world in general and to the Middle East region in particular.
Heavy responsibilities lie on the decision-makers, the intellectuals and policy
shapers, some of them are present with us today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To conclude my statement on a positive note, I would like to inform you that on
our part in the Muslim World, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the
largest regional intergovernmental organization on the international level as
well as the flagship organization of the Muslim World, with its membership of
57 states, is leading a massive effort, a leap forward to disseminate messages
of modernization and moderation in the Muslim World and dialogue with the West,
in total rejection of extremism, violence and intolerance. As some careful
observers have already noted the recent Extraordinary Islamic Summit which was
held in Makkah in December last year will be registered in the history as the
turning or actually starting point of a crucial movement in this direction, for
modernization and moderation.
We are fortunate and optimistic because the relations between the Muslim world
and the United States have never reached the point of no-return. I am repeating
this sentence "We are fortunate and optimistic because the relations between
the Muslim world and the United States have never reached the point of
no-return". There is a large reservoir of goodwill and ardour on both sides to
heal the wounds and to engage in a constructive dialogue with the aim of
reaching to practical and just solutions. This remains in the domain of
possible, and we look for the day when this ardent wish could become a reality
through your reconciliatory efforts, leading to a peaceful and stable Middle
East in its entirety and contributing to the World peace.
Thank you for your attention.
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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