<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman">World Council of Muslim Communities</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman">PO Box 143164</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><font face="Times New Roman">Coral Gables, FL<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>33114-3164</font></p>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Dear Doctor Bajwa:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Assalamu alaikum.</font></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">I wish to thank you very much for your recent communication and suggestions concerning the current state of affairs of the Muslim world and my proposition to hold an international conference to address the underlying problems with a view to finding their solutions.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Within this context, our immediate desire is to produce an amicable environment in which the Ummat-al-Islamiyyah could honorably ensure its survival and existence, preserve its integrity and dignity and sustain its well-being and prosperity without internal tensions and external threats.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Its past puissance and glory ought to be recovered, its sublime values and traditions revived, and its universal truth and virtue need to prevail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>This will lead us to dwell on four salient features of the "Islamic Basics."</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Firstly, in highlighting the "Islamic Fundamentals," we aspire to demonstrate that Islam is a religion of peace and harmony, order and tranquility, modesty and decency, tolerance and moderation, and mercy and grace.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With its concept of fraternity and universality, it proclaims goodwill towards all and cherishes no ill will against others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With its emphasis on piety and purity, it preaches honest living and condemns treacherous deeds.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Accordingly, its contributions to the welfare of mankind and the treatment of the earth are immense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Indeed, it was Muslims' pioneering spirit and ingenuity that raised comprehension in vast arrays of arts, sciences, and humanities. Muslims made significant advances in the fields of administration, agriculture, agronomy, architecture, astronomy, biology, botany, calligraphy, cartography, chemistry, education, engineering, geography, geology, history, horticulture, human rights, hydrology, jurisprudence, law, linguistics, literature, medicine, metallurgy, metaphysics, philosophy, physics, politics, sociology, and theology. Exposure to the advanced ideas of these reformers, thinkers, discoverers, innovators, and builders propelled a world sunk in ignorance and decadence to cast away the pall of the Dark Ages and embrace the Renaissance.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The ideas and discoveries advanced by Muslims truly gave a dynamic boost to human civilization and provided undeniably a vigorous push to Western thinkers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Secondly, within the scope of "Muslim Unity," we aim at exploring ways and means of abating tension within the Islamic fold and attempting to bring all the elements of the Ummah together on the premises of Tauheed-o-Sunnah.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Ummah are to be urged to sincerely respond to the Godly as well as worldly demands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is to be accomplished through Tajdeed and Taleem, as enjoined by the Divine dictates and the holy injunctions. In thus "clinging fast to the rope of Allah," the Ummah ought to manifest as a unified whole within the range of flexibility allowed by Al-Islam.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Thirdly, through a focus on "Interfaith Dialogue," we want to combat the spread of maliciously distorted views of Islam and Muslims that promote prejudice and intolerance. Slander and blasphemy ought to be disdained, mischief should be smoked out, and scandalous misunderstandings must be resolved.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Islamic ideals of human entirety and amicability should be promoted, thereby building bridges of mutuality and understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, particularly amongst the "Peoples of the Book."
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Similarly, the Islamic concept of religiosity (i.e., freedom and protection of all faiths, sufferance and accommodation of all creeds, respect for all apostles, safeguarding of all scriptures, safety of all sanctuaries, guarantee and allowance of all rites) should be made known both in words and deeds.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Specially, as offspring of the common ancestors, there must be much sense of forbearance and endurance among the three Holy Religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>So, remaining within the permissible limits of Islamic moderation in the truest spirit of Tableegh, the ideas of "coexistence" as well as of "live and let live" among various multi-racial and multi-religious societies must be advanced.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Within the Islamic tenor of benevolence, in rejecting the confrontational instigations of "clash of civilizations," the synergistic notion of "cooperation among civilizations" should be adopted. Of course, as you aptly said, "we must mobilize young people around the world to shatter the mistrust of past grievances and to foster a new spirit of tolerance and mutual respect."
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Lastly, on the basis of these precepts, teachings, and relationships, we expect to forge under the banner of "Impending Prospects" a sanguine and optimistic future for the all mankind in which planet Earth is saved from the destructive course man has been blindly and lustfully led to tread.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In such a vision of felicity and blessing, with a terrestrial paradise under his feet, man shall be able to feel the bliss of his celestial destiny.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-tab-count: 6"> </span>**********</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">To be convened under the auspices of the World Council of Muslim Communities, which is an established international organization with status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), the venue of the conference will be
Miami (Florida).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While it has been decided to be a one-day meeting to be held on a Saturday, the exact date is yet to be determined.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The conference will be organized into four plenary sessions (one in the forenoon, three in the afternoon), dealing respectively with the four abovementioned general themes, with an equal number of working groups attached thereto to discuss specific issues within each general topic.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While the opening and closing sessions will be graced by two chief guests, who will deliver their addresses, each plenary session as well as working group will have its own chairperson/ moderator for its conduct.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The drafting committee as duly constituted shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of proceedings and preparing a declaration, to be finally approved by the general assembly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The logistics of the conference shall be organized, managed, and operated by a chief coordinator and his staff as appropriate.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Prospective attendees shall be drawn from all enlightened communities, organizations, and institutions around the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>They shall be invited, if they so desire, to produce papers on any pertinent topics under general or specific subjects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Participating scholars shall particularly be urged to abide by this request.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Normally, papers shall be of 20-40 double spaced typewritten or computer-based pages, with single space citations within the text and single space footnotes at the bottom of corresponding pages with margins as appropriate.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each paper shall be accompanied by a one-page abstract, highlighting its substance and to be submitted prior to the convening of the conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>
Each speaker shall be afforded ten to a maximum of fifteen minutes to present to the session a summary of his paper</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The conference shall receive full print and electronic media coverage, including appearances on radio and televisions, on relevant interfaith questions.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The proceedings of the conference, along with the papers, shall be published in a collected form and distributed all over the world as deemed appropriate.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5"> </span>**************</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">By the grade of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala and the blessing of the Holy Prophet (Sallalahu `Alaihi wa Sallam), it is expected that this initiative will spark an ongoing process of outreach everywhere to those mired in discouragement or antagonism, opening them to the expansive and reassuring possibilities of positive change.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In thus opening up vistas of friendship, trust, and cooperation, this process will kindle the light of hope and inspiration for a better future.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5"> </span>**************</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The Council is presently working on organizational/functional and logistic/participatory matters, as necessary, with a view to evolving a concrete program and its timely dissemination.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We will keep you posted of all the developments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And, as ever, we will continue to count on your support and guidance.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Thanking you in anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With kindest regards and best wishes,</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Wassalam,</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Dr Malik Sardar Khan</font></p><br><br>
<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 5/17/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">Fouad Riaz Bajwa</b> <<a href="mailto:bajwa@fossfp.org">bajwa@fossfp.org</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">[Please note that by using 'REPLY', your response goes to the entire list. Kindly use individual addresses for responses intended for specific people]
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