The Muslim World League (MWL), from the United Republic of Tanzania, launched the Regional Forum for Serving the Two Revelations in the African Continent, themed: “Qur’an and Sunnah are way of life and development”, with the participation of His Excellency the President of Zanzibar, Dr. Hussein Ali Hassan Mwinyi, His Excellency Secretary General of the Muslim World League Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, and in partnership with senior scholars on the African continent.
Over the three-day activities of the forum, participants and guests from various African countries flocked. This is the first-ever forum in East Africa, including the latest working papers, studies and research to serve Qur’an and Sunnah, in addition to a myriad of the most important training courses and workshops in the areas of recitation, means of memorizing the Holy Qur’an and its methods, and the same in Sunnah, with introducing the Prophet’s guidance, in addition to the most important researches of scientific miracles in Qur’an and Sunnah.
The forum gained great importance, in view of the importance of its contents and themes that serve Qur’an and Sunnah, whose service is at the forefront of the MWL’s interests, through an institutional work supervised by an elite of distinguished competencies, and also in view of the great position of the Untied Republic of Tanzania in East Africa, thanks to its location, history and reality.
Zanzibar’s president stresses important role of religious leaders and religious institutions in condemning evil and confronting threats to homelands.
His Excellency the President of Zanzibar, Dr. Hussein Ali Hassan Mwinyi, delivered a valuable speech at the opening ceremony, in which he welcomed the attendees, stressing the great importance of this gathering of scholars in light of global changes and the challenges faced by societies on daily basis, hoping at the same time that “this forum will give us an opportunity to remind each other of the importance of peace and goodwill between us.”
His Excellency stressed the important role of religious leaders and religious institutions in condemning evil and confronting threats to homelands, stressing the urgent need for governments for the contributions of these institutions and other development partners to achieve their goals, and calling for the expansion of their role in urging the rejection of acts of violence, discrimination, corruption, and ill-treatment of women and children, and all that threatens the peace, security and development of societies.
His Excellency wrapped up his speech by re-thanking the MWL and Muslim scholars in Tanzania, promising that the government will provide all possible help and support to ensure the success of the forum and implement its recommendations.
Dr. Al-Issa:
Serving the two revelations and raising awareness of them is at the forefront of the MWL’s missions.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa expressed his great pleasure to participate in this important forum to serve the two noble revelations, appreciating meanwhile the patronage of the President of Zanzibar for the forum, and taking part in it.
Addressing the honorable attendees, Dr. Al-Issa said: “Out of our firm belief in the place of the two revelations in the heart of every Muslim, their words and actions, we are very keen to ensure that this important foundation is based on a correct understanding of the texts of Qur’an and Sunnah; hence the MWL’s interest emerged, assuming the responsibility of spreading Islamic awareness of their texts, as they are at the forefront of its missions.”
Dr. Al-Issa touched on the contents of the forum, which read the texts of Qur’an and the Sunnah as a way of life and development as the title of this forum is, all of this stemming from the deep and solid understanding by the scholars of the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Declaration” -Charter of Makkah- with their explanation of a number of issues directly related to the correct understanding of the texts of the two noble revelations, and the illumination that this explanation included, which Islamic awareness requires.
His Excellency noted the importance of teaching young people the correct understanding of the texts of Qur’an and Sunnah, in parallel with what they are memorized by, stressing that teaching them that when they are young establishes the principles of Islam and its lofty values in their hearts, as Allah Almighty says: “This is a Scripture that We have revealed to you, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect.”
Dr. Al-Issa went on saying: “The important difference lies in the combination of memorizing and reflecting on texts. It is not possible for us to reflect on them until we understand them correctly.”
He drew attention to the fact that the MWL, through a department specialized in serving the two revelations, constantly works to ensure that Qur’an and Sunnah represent the personality of every Muslim with a high moral value, reflecting the true personality of the believer “with themselves, community, country and others around the world.” Wherever they are, true Muslims are only morals walking on the earth, and no nation will live without values, as Islam is based on unification with the great values it holds, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I was sent to perfect morals”, and he perfected them. Allah Almighty says: “And you are of a great character”.
Event’s objectives meet with Makkah Al-Mukarramah Declaration contents.
After that, speeches by senior scholars followed, along with the sessions that included research and studies, and the accompanying workshops, training courses and specialized exhibitions, all of which are specialized in serving the fields of recitation and means of memorizing Qur’an and Sunnah, and introducing the Prophet’s guidance, and the latest developments in the scientific miracles in Qur’an and Sunnah, with the participation of an elite of senior experts, researchers and specialists.
The forum sessions discussed several themes, most notably: the role of the “Makkah Al-Mukarramah Declaration” -Charter of Makkah- in highlighting the tolerance of Islam and spreading societal awareness in urgent contemporary issues, while emphasizing the importance of the culture of peaceful coexistence among followers of religions, especially in the embrace of this forum (Tanzania), in addition to themes related to lessons, challenges and aspirations, and the role of women in serving the local community, scientific miracles in Qur’an and Sunnah, and the integration of Qur’anic centers and institutions: (The International Council of Recitation Sheikhs as a model).
