This week, 57 Muslim heads of state and ministers met at the Safa Palace, next to the
Grand Mosque in Mecca. Their topic? As one leader said, "The wolf is no longer outside the gate but roams
among us."
The summit's final statement, The Mecca Declaration, described mutual pledges to actively oppose extreme ideology
in the religion of Islam and violence in Islamic life. The mutual promises included:
- Decisive action to fight terrorism in all its forms
- Modernized laws to criminalize funding subversive purposes
- A purge of radical ideas from school curriculums
- Limiting the publication of fatwas (religious edicts) to authorized individuals only.
Jordan's King Abdullah called for a consensus on who is a Muslim and who has the right to publish edicts. The
lack of consensus on these two issues produces accusations of apostasy and internecine fighting, he concluded.
This was the third summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). They took positions on the solidarity
of Islamic states, mutual aid in the face of natural disasters, unified responses to foreign threats, human rights
in the member states, funding programs to reduce poverty, promote employment, battle disease and support development
in poor lands, particularly Africa. The history of OIC is one of maximum words and a minimum of action, so the
test of the flowing rhetoric is yet to come.
A free trade zone among the member states was also proposed. As would be expected, speakers called for a unified
Islamic nation supporting the aspirations of Palestine to re-occupy additional land. The new leader of Iran didn't
show but helpfully suggested that Israel should move to Europe. At the same time the United Nations held a reception
in Palestine. The room was decorated with a map that erased Israel.
The greatest effort to create a guideline for reform was presented in a speech by the Prime Minister of Malasia,
Datuk Seri Abdullah. He described a model for renewal, reform and revitalization based on the Muslim concept of
Hadhari. He described his model as compatible with modernization and yet fully rooted in the values of Islam. The
fundamental principles he stressed were:
- Conscientiously fostering unity among Muslims
- Becoming more adept at harnessing resources
- Developing capacity-building measures, particularly for women
- Negotiating Muslim trade and economic linkages to increase global competitiveness
- Promoting good governance, transparency and accountability to battle local corruption
- Becoming more articulate about the virtues of Islam
- Establishing a rapid response mechanism among OIC countries to battle natural disasters.
- Never waver in support of the Palestinian cause
- Cooperate in fighting international terror in all its forms, irrespective of race or religion.
The Prime Minister called Hadhari a "civilizational Islam" aimed at restoring self-confidence throughout
the ummah (whole of Islam). The path, he said, was to enhance the quality of life for Muslim people through the
mastery of knowledge and the integrated and balanced development of individuals who are honest, trustworthy and
prepared to take on global issues.
While this story will probably not be given great attention in the United States, it is important to note that
at this summit the Islamic government leaders were, at last, asking the right questions. Perhaps still a bit guarded,
the Prime Minster also announced that hadhari was not designed to pacify the West, nor apologize for the perceived
"Islamic Threat" nor to gain the approval of non-Muslims. None-the-less, the course he charted was a
good step towards peace.
Coupled with the incoherent Iraq hyper-hysteria of the cut-and-run Left, even a few right words from the Muslim
and Arab worlds provides comfort to The White House.
Will the Islamic world finally recognize the wolf or keep weaving sheep's clothing? If local Muslim actions actually
follow, 2006 can provide significant progress towards stability in the Middle East.
And we will get a read on whose "stragery" prevails.
12/09/05
