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TRIPOLI, November 27 (Mercy for Mankind) – The first
morning session of the seventh general conference of the World
Islamic Call Society (WICS), in the second day Saturday, November
27, was dedicated to discussions of the report of the Executive
Committee of the World Council of Islamic Call.
Reporters general of the conference, Ibrahim Al-Ghowail, detailed
the activities of Call and relief.
In the field of call, the report touched on the methods and
approaches of call action which the WICS sincerely and devotedly
seeks to draw on in all fields. These methods and approaches are
varied in nature.
One of these methods is Da`wah (call) journeys that enable the
society to reach the largest number of people in their gathering
places, so as to introduce them to the mission of Islam or to
enlighten their minds with the knowledge that would enable them to
understand the purposes of Sharia.
Within this framework and during the last four years, starting from
1369 Hijri, 2001, one hundred and forty-nine (149) Da`wah caravans
were dispatched to 18 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
During this period, the Society's callers were able to visit
population agglomerations in one-hundred and ninety-two (192)
villages and cities, and regions that would not have seen the light
of Islam had it not been for the efforts made by those who are
change of implementing these Da`wah programs.
The following are countries which had benefited from these caravans:
Mozambique, Surinam, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Tanzania,
Kenya, Mali, Benin, Rwanda, Ghana, Vietnam, The Maldives, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Guinea Bissau and Burundi.
Training Sessions
The Society attaches special importance to scholars, because they
lead Muslims in prayer and because they are their role models. They
further do their best to educate and enlighten the community and to
protect it from the dangers of cultural invasion, fanaticism and
intolerance, especially in this age in which the enemies of Islam
seek to saw the seeds of disunity in Muslim communities.
Staring from 1369-2001 until the end of the third quarter of
1372-2004, the Society was able to set up fifty-eight (58) training
sessions attended by 10375 Imams and orators.
These sessions were held in the following countries: Uganda,
Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Adyghaya, Byelorussia, Sierra
Leone, Mozambique, Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Gambia, Tanzania, Benin,
Burundi, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia.
Worth pointing out is the fact that sixteen sessions, attended by
6500 Imams and orators, were held in Uganda alone. The programs are
inscribed within the framework of implementing the agreement on
training Imams and orators concluded with the Islamic High Council
in Uganda.]
Women, Youth
During this period, the Society paid special attention to women's
affairs in consideration of the fact that women constitute the main
pillar in building society and improving its conditions.
The society has implemented many sessions for women; they included
practical and theoretical lessons the purpose of which was to
examine women issues and the ways to improve their vocational and
intellectual levels.
Benefiting from these training sessions were about women in weaving
and knitting, embroidery, computer skills, and general knowledge.
The beneficiaries are from the following countries: Ethiopia,
Burkina Faso, Gambia, Chad, Tanzania, Madagascar, Surinam,
Mozambique, Uganda, Malawi, Cameroon, and Rwanda.
Reverts
Beginning from the year 1369-2001 until the third quarter of the
year 1372-2004, the number of new converts to Islam reached 14153
individuals from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
The credit of this great achievement goes to Brother Col. Muammar
Ghadafi, Leader of the World Islamic People's Leadership, who
visited many African countries and led Muslims in collective Friday
prayers and in other prayers.
As a consequence of these visits, the Society's efforts intensified
and multiplied, Da`wah Action programs were activated, and many
Da`wah caravans were set in motion. These caravans had a great
impact on explaining Islam's mission and on people embracing Islam
as individuals or in groups.
Cooperation
The WICS has been working towards consolidating its ties with
international organizations with which it shares the same goals and
shares common denominations.
UNESCO
Cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization has started as back as the early 1980s,
through a number of agreements.
Some of the projects had been fully implemented. These include the
eradication of illiteracy in Africa, a study project on water
sources in the Sahel countries and the Islamic Encyclopedia of the
History of Central Asia.
Other projects were completed during the period of drafting of this
report; a third host of reports are under way; they are expected to
be completed in the near future.
Of these are "Project of the Various Aspects of Islamic Culture",
"Project of the History of Central Asia", "Project of the History of
the Development of Scientific and Cultural History of Mankind",
"Project of the Ambulant fair", "Project of the Culture of Islam".
Visit of UNESCO Director General
Accompanied by representatives of the major sectors of the
Organization, Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director General of UNESCO
paid a visit to the Society headquarters in February 2001.
He met with the Society committee members and with Board Members.
Mr. Matsuura expressed his thanks and appreciation for the cultural
and humanitarian effort made by the Society, for the importance it
attaches to human cultural heritage, and for its disseminating of
the culture of Islam.
The UNESCO Director General also visited the Islamic Call College
and its library and listened to a brief expose on the vocational
training program which the Society has set up for its students, and
on the vocational training program which the Society officials the
Conference on Islamic Minorities in Europe, held at UNESCO
headquarters at the beginning of 2001, the main result of which was
the foundation of the European Islamic Conference.
Cooperation with ISESCO
Cooperation with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (ISESCO) developed noticeably during the period of
drafting of this report.
This cooperation covered educational, cultural and scientific
fields. In the field of education, the two parties organized 31
training sessions for teachers, and educational advisors and
supervisors in such countries as Benin, Conakry, Mauritania, Bissau,
Senegal, Mali, Burkina, Niger, Sierra Leone, Bosnia, Malaysia, the
Maldives, Bangladesh, Cote d'Ivoire, Afghanistan, the Libyan
Jamahirya, Yemen, Kuwait, Gabon, and Palestine.
Benefiting from these sessions are 1320 teachers and educational
advisors. Also, seven sessions were organized to prepare and develop
curricula in Indonesia, Senegal, Mali, Iran, Libya, Burkina Faso and
Niger.
Forty-two educational experts benefited from these sessions. Most of
these sessions were held within the framework of the African Sahel
Program that is funded by the Society and implemented by ISESCO.
Regarding the cultural sector, cooperation manifested itself in
setting up tens of programs. Of these are "Project of Incorporating
the Elements of Islamic Patrimony in National Museums" and
"Publishing of Books". |
