Speech

H. E. Prof, Dr. Hamid Bin Ahmad AL-Rifaie,
President of International Islamic Forum for Dialogue
Co- Secretary General of World Muslim Congress.

To

The Summit for Interfaith Respect:
Leveraging the Power of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism to Transform World Conflict.

Institute for Middle East Peace and Development

New York - USA
06-23 / 10 / 1425 - November 29 – December 06, 2004.
 
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

Personally, and on behalf of the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue (IIFD) based in Jeddah – Saudi Arabia, which coordinates among more than one hundred of the International Islamic Organizations in the fields of dialogue  throughout the world, I would like to express our pleasure to be here with our colleagues of the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders,

Certainly, we are here to know each other, to develop our knowledge, and to qualify ourselves to work together for bringing Justice, peace and prosperity for our societies and the world communities. Undoubtedly, they are noble goals, but how can we achieve its?

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Truly, it is a big and difficult question! We have to think together to answer it.

Personally, when I contemplate this question and try to answer it; unfortunately, I find myself facing the painful case of the mutual accusation among most of the religious, cultural, and political leaders regarding the definition of who is responsible of what is happening in our world. Where every side insists that somebody else is responsible of the current world crisis. Simply, that means we are all innocent and accused at the same time! And in the same issue!

Please come to think together how to deal with such abnormal case?

To solve this problem we have to confess that we are all responsible toward the current crisis nowadays. Of course there is a proportional difference regarding responsibility of every side toward this crisis. However, we should agree that we are all responsible, so we have to think how to deal with this crisis and how to confront the increasing deterioration in values, morals, security and peace throughout the world. 

As you know, we are here from different religions, cultures, and nations, but I think we believe and respect the religious, and cultural diversity, also I think we respect the cultural and religious particularity of every nation. I also think we believe that all religion call to justice, peace, mercy, and safe coexistence among mankind, If we truly believe so then what is the source of our crisis nowadays? 

Fro my part, I can say that the main source of our crisis is the absence of the common culture among us that should be the base for reorganizing the mentality and behavior of the human generations in the light of respecting their religious and cultural particularity.

Therefore, I think it is a responsibility of every side to present their perspective for crystallizing the suitable values and principles to realize our common culture, which will enable us to work together for confronting the above-mentioned crisis and to bring justice, peace, and prosperity for ourselves and human communities.

Fro our part, we suggest the following principles to be the launching points for crystallizing the desired common culture:

01.   Believing that the Lord of mankind is one,
02.   Believing that their Father is one,
03.   Respecting human fraternity,
04.     Respecting holiness of life and properties of mankind,
05.   Honoring human dignity and freedom,
06.   Keeping environment away from corruption,
07.   Justice is a sacred right for all,
08.   Peace is the lasting principle among people,
09.   Prohibiting weapons of mass destruction,
10.   Providing water, food, and medicine for all,
11.   Man and woman are integral partners in life.

I hope that I presented my perspective well. Also I hope that the above- mentioned principles are suitable to be a base for realizing the desired common culture,

Thank you,

Shawwal 10, 1425 – November 23, 2004