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Mahathir Renews Appeal For Worldwide Islamic Unity To Face Challenges
By Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (IslamOnline) - Mahathir Mohamad, the Malaysian Prime Minister, called Saturday for Islamic unity worldwide in the wake of the numerous problems the “Ummah” (Community) is facing globally, Bernama News Agency reported.
Muslims must work together to build a united Islamic community whose members cooperate with each other in all fields in compliance with their "fardhu kifayah" obligations, said Mahathir Mohamad.
"It is incumbent upon us to unite and to deter our aggressors, while determining our own fate in accordance with the teachings of the religion," he added, during a speech that is published in the souvenir program of the Seventh Conference of the Ministers of Endowment and Islamic Affairs to be held here over three days beginning Monday.
Mahathir stressed on what he said was priceless assets Islamic countries possessed, which included energy resources, economy and population, which could be used to cement the Islamic world.
But in reality, he said, Muslims were being viewed by the world community as violent, always at war, narrow minded, disintegrated and a society which was unable to make use of the grace bestowed upon it to uphold the superiority of Islam as had previously been achieved during the glorious days of Islam, Bernama wrote.
"We have to accept the fact that not one Islamic country by today's standards can be considered developed, much less a super power able to influence the world.
"In reality, the Islamic world is now in a state of regress. Everywhere Muslims are being oppressed," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the fate of the people of Palestine was a clear example of our Muslims failing where, in spite of their resources, they were unable to influence any form of action to stop the violence.
On Friday, he expressed much regret on the withdrawal of the UN mission to Jenin, the camp of death of hundred of Palestinian refugees killed by the Jewish army.
Expanding his thoughts on the need for unity, Mahathir hoped that the ongoing Conference would discuss and address problems pertaining to the Muslim world.
Nine papers would be presented at the Kuala Lumpur conference ranging from proposals on preparing Muslims in facing challenges in the rapidly changing world, to plans to set up a world foundation for Islamic heritage, investment fund for the development of wakaf properties, and measures in tackling extremism.
Mahathir has made known his outcry at the situation in Palestine during the April Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting on terrorism in Malaysia. He condemned both Israel’s “terrorist” attacks on the Palestinians and the suicide bombers. He later retracted saying suicide bombing seemed the only way for the Palestinians to react in the face of the great oppression by the Israelis.
Malaysia is also ready to send troop to Palestine to assist the UN establish order in the occupied territories. It said the UN must send troops in order to stop Israeli aggression against unarmed civilians.
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