Category: News update

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) kicked off Thursday, May 27, 2021, its major event in love for the Prophet (PBUH), under the theme: “Towards a Future Vision for the Prophet’s Seerah,” held in partnership with the Muslim World League (MWL) and the Mohammadia League of Scholars, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

After the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, the honorary session started with the address by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), wherein he explained that the conference is a demonstration of our duty towards the Prophet (PBUH) in response to the misunderstandings of the various aspects of his Seerah.

Dr. AlMalik announced a set of key initiatives, including the organization of the Conference on the Prophet’s Seerah on an annual basis, the proclamation of an international day of the Prophet’s Seerah named “Day of Mercy,” and the launch of a major prize for the best initiatives and research works on highlighting and promoting the civilizational values in the Prophet’s Seerah.

In a video address, the guest of honor, Mr. Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, underscored that the Prophet (PBUH) ran the Medina community, at the beginning of Islam, with the most civilized methods and rules the world has ever known in terms of the equal application of law to everyone and taking care of the poor and needy for the first time in history.

In a video address, the guest of honor, H.R.H. Prince Hassan bin Talal, President of the Arab Thought Forum, stressed the importance of studying the Prophet’s Seerah as an embodiment of the universal mercy established in the Holy Quran “We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a mercy for the whole world.”

The guest of honor, H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, in his address, delivered on his behalf at ICESCO headquarters by Mr. Simon Martin, UK Ambassador to Morocco, highlighted that the spiritual dimension must be the basis of our efforts to solve all social problems and face all global challenges such as the current pandemic.

The address of the guest of honor, H.E. Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, that Mr. Baba Garba, Ambassador of Nigeria to Morocco, delivered on his behalf, focused on the need to adopt a vision based on mutual understanding and coexistence, which constitute the essence of Islam. He also underlined the need to deconstruct and address the hostile messages posted on social media as they exacerbate misunderstanding and spread extremism among their recipients.

In his address, Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the MWL, highlighted the crucial civilizational values in the Prophet’s Seerah that link common sense with reason, which both constitute the moral basis of the ideal human existence, paving the way for the seekers of the right path, and leave non-Muslims in a state of astonishment and admiration.

Moreover, Dr. Al-Issa added that the MWL has prepared many extensive studies, which concluded that more than 50 percent of the causes of Islamophobia are rooted in some Muslim societies, either due to lacking awareness or exploitation of religion for material interests, along with other causes from outside the Islamic world, while indicating that Islam can overcome such crisis just like it did with many other obstacles throughout history.

Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of the Mohammadia League of Scholars, spoke about the problems facing Islam, namely the damage that our corruption caused to planet Earth; the extreme armament for fighting each other; the hidden threats of the outbreak of major wars; 80 million studies are conducted each year worldwide with no clear impact; and the human need for more wisdom.

Dr. Abbadi also highlighted the studies and centers of the League, pointing out that the daily presence of young people in the digital space requires our presence as well in this space to provide guidance for them.

In his video address, Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), reaffirmed that the monotheistic religions share the call for mutual understanding and coexistence, adding that the Messenger of Islam (PBUH) called for dialogue and benevolence as he is deemed the high representative of civilizational dialogue, who promoted tolerance and countered extremism and all forms of violent discourse.

At the close of the honorary session, Dr. AlMalik, ICESCO DG, handed ICESCO Honorary Shields to Dr. Al-Issa and Dr. Abbadi in appreciation of their efforts in serving Islam.

With the participation of prominent international figures, thinkers and scholars from inside and outside the Islamic world, the International Conference on the Civilizational Values ​​in the Prophet’s Seerah will start tomorrow, May 27, 2021, under the theme “Towards a future vision for the Prophet’s Seerah,” that the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) will hold, in partnership with the Muslim World League (MWL) and the Mohammedia League of Religious Scholars, in Morocco, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco

The Conference, which will be held both at ICESCO headquarters, in Rabat, and through videoconference, will start at 09:00 GMT (10:00 Rabat time) with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the honorary session, which features the addresses by the guests of honor, namely Mr. Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan; H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, United Kingdom; H.R.H. Prince Hassan bin Talal, Chairman of Arab Thought Forum, Jordan; and Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).

Afterward, two videos will be screened, one that ICESCO produced on the lineage of the Prophet (PBUH) and the other one on the most prominent testimonials about the Prophet (PBUH). Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG); Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of the Mohammedia League of Religious Scholars; and Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, MWL Secretary-General, will then give their respective addresses. The next session will feature a video on the Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah in Al-Madina Al- Munawarah followed by a Madih break.

The representatives of the participating institutions will then deliver their respective addresses, namely Dr. ShawKi Allam, Grand Mufti of Egypt; Sheikh-ul-islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Mufti of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus; Dr. Mustapha Benhamza,President of Ulemas Council of Oujda, member of the Supreme Ulemas Council, Kingdom of Morocco; Dr. Farhan Nizami, Director of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, London; Dr. Amer Al-Hafi, Academic Consultant of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, Al al-Bayt University, Jordan;  Prof. James Patton, President of the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy, Washington D.C.; and Anba Philotheus Faraj, Global Peace Ambassador, Khartoum.

In a recorded video, Joram Van Klaveren will share with the participants his experience in converting to Islam and seeking guidance from the Prophet (PBUH).

The agenda also includes four working sessions on the following respective topics: Prophet’s Seerah and academic efforts, Prophet’s Seerah and functional dimensions, Prophet’s Seerah and contemporary issues, and world testimonials about the Prophet and his final message.

In conclusion, the Conference will issue its declaration and executive recommendations, which will be shared in many languages​​ with the international organizations, institutions and bodies specialized in culture and civilizational dialogue.

You can follow the Conference live on the official Facebook page of ICESCO via the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/ICESCO.En/live

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), reaffirmed that the Organization positions cooperation with its African Member States at the heart of its interests. He noted that a substantial number of ICESCO leaderships and experts are from Africa, a continent abounding with remarkable capacities and natural resources.

The DG made the statement in his address at the Africa Forum for Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue, held in observance of World Africa Day. The Forum that the Moroccan Center for Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue held on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, via videoconference, saw the participation of religious leaderships, representatives of prominent organizations and bodies and several dialogue experts and specialists.

The DG stated that the celebration of World Africa Day reflects the growing human awareness about Africa’s ability to survive the environment and climate exhaustion and the squandering of abundant resources, as global statistics state that African enjoys the world’s largest agricultural areas and has a rich climate diversity, making it a significant source of food in the world. He added that the continent is the second globally in terms of natural resources while its tourism industry counts for 8% of its GDP.

Despite the continent’s potential, the DG stated, tribal affiliations and ethnic and sectarian conflicts caused instability in Africa and undermined its launch after independence. The situation jeopardized the development and prosperity of African societies, which enjoy glorious cultural and civilizational abundance.

“However, no one can deny the major strides the people of Africa made towards fighting corruption and the serious efforts made to anchor good governance, which led to concrete progress in achieving development,” Dr. AlMalik noted.

At the close of his address, the DG stated that during the COVID-19 outbreak, ICESCO committed to assisting African societies to mitigate the impact of the pandemic through providing sanitizers and setting up manufacturing units to locally produce them. He added that ICESCO also supported African educational systems and cooperated with global humanitarian initiatives such as Alwaleed Philanthropies, which provided financial support—through ICESCO—amounting to 2 million American dollars. The DG mentioned initiatives that the Organization launched such as “The Societies We Want,” noting that ICESCO intends to further its fruitful cooperation with its African Member States through launching several programs.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) appointed Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa as Deputy DG of ICESCO.

Since joining the Organization in 2003, Dr. Benarafa has held several positions, the last of which was the Cultural Advisor to the DG before his appointment as Deputy DG of ICESCO.

Dr. Benarafa obtained the General University Diploma in literary studies from Mohammed V University in Rabat, the B.A. degree in linguistics from the University of Paul-Valéry Montpellier, France, and the Advanced Diploma in general linguistics as well as the PhD degree in semantics from Sorbonne University, Paris.

Dr. Benarafa has many intellectual and literary works and academic reviews. He published a set of books, novels and studies, including: a study on concepts formation in French, and reviews of  “a’Shihab Maw’ida li Uli al-Albab” by Abu Ahmad Jaafar bin Sayedbona, “Limada Nafrah Bil-Mustafa,” “Biography of Abu al-Hassan a-Shashtarihis Biography, works and doctrine.” His novels include “Jabal Qaf,” “al-Junaid: Pain of Knowledge,” “Khnatha” and “Idris.”

Dr. Benarafa enjoys extensive relationships in the Islamic world.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) won the “3G Leadership Award for Public Sector and Multilateral Institutions” for 2021, from Cambridge-IFA in the United Kingdom (UK), in recognition of the Organization’s initiatives that attach great importance to the values ​​of social responsibility and good governance.

ICESCO received this Award at the 6^th session of 3G Awards, held today, May 25, 2021, through videoconference, during which Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), gave an address wherein he highlighted the Organization’s efforts to support quality education, promote culture, preserve heritage, and contribute to the development of science and innovation.

Dr. AlMalik indicated that ICESCO is committed to spread the values ​​of tolerance and coexistence and contribute to building a bright future for mankind by launching initiatives and implementing programs and activities to achieve sustainable development and meet the needs and priorities of the Organization’s various Member States.

ICESCO DG thanked Cambridge-IFA for its support of the Organization’s efforts through the 3G Leadership Award for Public Sector and Multilateral Institutions for 2021.

The ceremony also featured a video on ICESCO’s history, objectives and key initiatives and programs in the fields of education, science, culture, and communication.

Cambridge-IFA, a non-profit organization based in the UK, grants 3G Awards every year, which include many categories, to promote the values ​​of social responsibility and good governance among individuals and public and private institutions and rewards the organizations and institutions that prioritize these values.

In addition to ICESCO, the Republic of Indonesia won the Governance and Policy Award while the United Overseas Bank from Singapore won the Excellence in Corporate Governance Award. The Friends of Cancer Patients Association also won in one of the Award’s categories.

Secretary-General of the Muslim World League: The Charter Unified Muslim Scholars

Secretary-General of the Muslim World League: The Charter Unified Muslim Scholars

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held on Friday, May 21, 2020, at its headquarters, in Rabat, a scientific symposium in partnership with the Muslim World League (MWL) under the theme: ”Makkah Charter: Achievements and Perspectives.” The event, during which Dr. Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa delivered the main lecture, enjoyed high-level participation and witnessed rich discussions with the aim to achieve the goals of the Charter, which scholars and intellectuals coming from 27 Muslim sects and schools of thought approved. 

The symposium began with the recitation of some verses from the Holy Quran, followed by an address  Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), delivered during which he welcomed Dr. Al-Issa and his delegation. Dr. AlMalik stressed that the symposium is an opportunity to exchange views and explore ideas on the Makkah Charter hoping that the efforts of Arab and Muslim countries will put an end to the sufferings of the Palestinians and help restore Al-Quds Al-Sharif and Al-Aqsa Mosque, after having reached a truce in the occupied territories.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Cultural Advisor to ICESCO DG, highlighted in his introduction the urgent need for issuing the Makkah Charter from the Qibla that unifies all Muslims to disseminate enlightened Islamic thought and respect all religions.

During the symposium’s main lecture, Dr. Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa explained the achievements and perspectives of the Charter that was able to unify Muslim Scholars. He noted that Muslim intellectuals were well aware of their scientific and intellectual duty to issue the Charter which was signed by more than 1200 Muslim Muftis and Scholars representing various Muslim sects and schools of thought. More than 4500 Muslim intellectuals attended the conference which issued it.

MWL Secretary-General stressed that the Charter tackled several key contemporary issues, raised awareness and transmitted enlightened Islamic thought, especially to the youth of the Muslim world. The document was based on the Madina Charter that the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) signed, which calls for the respect of religious and civil rights. The Makkah Charter is considered an extension of that historical document.

Dr. Al-Issa added that Makkah Charter reinforces the need for religious, cultural and civilizational dialogue for coexistence, mutual understanding, development and fighting corruption.

The Secretary-General also praised the roles that ICESCO plays, hoping that the Organization will carry on its mission of publicizing the Makkah Charter, which was approved by Muslim World Countries during the Meeting of Foreign Ministers.

Following the main lecture, the participants expressed their views during which Dr. Ahmed Sennouni, Secretary-General of the Mohammedia League of Scholars, reaffirmed that the Makkah Charter should be a source of inspiration, both at the personal and collective level, for it is regarded as a humanist document considering its goals and functions.

Dr. Khalid Samadi, Director of the Moroccan Center for Studies and Educational Research, noted that the Charter corrected some misconceptions, enshrined various values, and developed skills to overcome differences.

Dr. Mahjoub Bensaid, a researcher in the fields of communication sciences and cultural dialogue, presented many proposals to strengthen the universal character of the Charter. Dr. Mustapha Zabbakh, Rapporteur of the Academy of the Moroccan Kingdom, then praised the document’s aim to free the Muslim mentality from misconceptions to build a renewed understanding of Islam.

The symposium’s recordings are available on ICESCO Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/ICESCO.En/videos/759106971446672