The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat hosted, on Friday, April 14, 2023, for the 2nd consecutive year, a major ceremony organized by ICESCO in partnership with the Muslim World League (MWL) and Morocco’s Mohammadia League of Scholars, as part of the celebration of the International Day of Mercy, which corresponds to April 21, each year.

The ceremony, which was attended by senior officials, ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, thinkers and university professors, began with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a general presentation by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director General, in which he reviewed the most significant phases of launching International Day of Mercy initiative and indicated that this initiative was recommended in the declaration of the International Conference on the Civilizational Values in the Prophet’s Seerah, held by ICESCO in May 2021, approved by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad in March 2022, submitted by the Kingdom of Morocco to the General Assembly of the United Nations for adoption at the international level, and finally celebrated on this day for the 2nd consecutive year.

He pointed out that the purpose of proclaiming this day goes beyond the ceremonial dimensions to a human civilizational foundation of an ethic of mercy for all people without discrimination, adding that it is an embodiment of continuous human efforts towards the will of goodness and coexistence and highlighting the efforts to include the indicators of mercy in all fields of development.

In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, reaffirmed that humanity has never known a merciful person among people like our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), pointing out that great writers and thinkers always try to pinpoint the scenes of Mohammedan mercy, which is a divine mercy dedicated to humanity.

He added that humanity today is in dire need of pages of merciful human perfection while it fluctuates in the turmoil of its conflicts and the hell of its differences, pointing out that global behavior amid confusion and anxiety has nothing but to follow the example of the Mohammedan glow of mercy.

ICESCO Director-General pointed out that the Organization has taken the initiative to propose the proclamation of April 21 as the International Day of Mercy with the support of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary General of Morocco’s Mohammadia League of Scholars, said that the Prophet (PBUH) revived the concept of global mercy which was manifested in its qualities.

He highlighted the dimensions of the concept of mercy and its manifestations, represented in monotheism, communication, acclamation, insight and benevolence, reviewing the specifics of each quality, stating that all these manifestations lead to happiness and mercy in its broadest sense.

At the close of the ceremony, Mr. Najib Rhiati, Cultural Advisor to ICESCO Director General, expressed his gratitude to the participants in the celebration of the International Day of Mercy.