UAE: CONFERENCE ON ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003631 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KISL PHUM KDEM TC SUBJECT: UAE: CONFERENCE ON ISLAMIC TEACHINGS ¶1. THE UAE WILL HOST A SIX-DAY CONFERENCE BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 25 TO HIGHLIGHT ISLAM'S TEACHINGS ABOUT TOLERANCE, JUSTICE, FORGIVENESS, AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE. THE GATHERING, CALLED "THE PROPHET'S WAY OF DAWA AND GUIDANCE", AIMS TO CHANGE INTERNATIONAL PERCEPTIONS OF ISLAM AND ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF RADICALISM ATTACHED BY ITS MILITANTS. IN ANNOUNCING THE CONFERENCE TO THE PRESS ON OCTOBER 11, MOHAMMED AL DHAHERI, THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, ISLAMIC AFFAIRS AND AWQAF, SAID THE FEW SUICIDAL MILITANTS WHO HAVE HIJACKED ISLAM'S TEACHINGS ARE NOT PORTRAYING THE TRUE TENETS OF THE RELIGION, AND THE CONFERENCE INTENDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF TEACHING OF ISLAMIC CONTENT AS WELL AS THE PROBLEMS OF EXTREMISM AND NEGLIGENCE. SEPARATELY, HE TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE WILL BE THE LARGEST SINCE ITS INCEPTION. ¶2. IN HIS RELEASE TO THE PRESS, THE JUSTICE MINISTER STRESSED THAT THE EVENT IS NOT BEING HELD BECAUSE OF EXTERNAL PRESSURE. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE EMERGENCE OF RADICAL IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES FALSELY ASSOCIATED WITH ISLAM NEEDED TO BE CLARIFIED BEFORE THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY. EVER SINCE THE UAE BECAME A FEDERATION IN 1971, IT HAS WELCOMED BELIEVERS OF OTHER FAITHS, NOT JUST BY WORDS BUT WITH ACTIONS. THE RULERS OF THE UAE'S SEVEN EMIRATES HAVE DONATED LAND TO CHRISTIAN AND HINDU DENOMINATIONS TO BUILD THEIR CHURCHES AND TEMPLES. ¶3. THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE HAS INVITED SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL MUSLIM AND NON-MUSLIM SCHOLARS TO ADDRESS THE CONFERENCE, INCLUDING SHEIKH HAMZA YUSUF, FOUNDER OF THE ZAYTUNA INSTITUTE AND ACADEMY IN HAYWARD CALIFORNIA. (NOTE: THE ZAYTUNA INSTITUE IS A NON-PROFIT, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE WHICH HAS SEVERAL INTENSIVE PROGRAMS AND COURSES IN THE BAY AREA. END NOTE.) THE CONFERENCE IS UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF UAE PRESIDENT SHEIKH ZAYED. SISON