Participants express their thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince for sponsoring initiatives to promote peaceful coexistence and civilized dialogue and to confront extremism and violence globally and in Iraq in particular

Iraqi references honor Dr. Al-Issa’s initiative for calling for the forum and his efforts to bring sects and references closer

Dr. Al-Issa reiterates:

There is nothing between Sunnis and Shiites except fraternal understanding, cooperation and integration

In this pure space, the brothers of religion, mission, values ​​and goals meet.

Abhorrent sectarianism is rejected by everyone It is a curse to itself before to others

Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: These activities contribute to the peace-building process

Senior Scholar of the Iraqi Fiqh Council: Sharia texts confirm that community peace is a legal duty

Spokesperson of the “Shiite References”: Moderation requires effort, behavior, work and boldness in taking moderate positions

Head of the Shiite Endowment Diwan: Islamic scholars are eager for your responsible initiatives

Head of the Sunni Endowment Diwan: The Muslim World League is keen on the unity of ranks and consolidation of Islamic brotherhood, especially in Iraq

President of the Union of Scholars of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: We look forward in this blessed forum to extending bridges of love and solidarity

Makkah Al-Mukarramah hosted a historical forum that brought together all Iraqi religious references of weight and influence in the Iraqi scene from the eminent, virtuous and excellencies at one table for the first time, in response to the invitation of His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, seeking to emphasize the unity of word and the position of everyone rejecting sectarian, hate and clash rhetoric.

Participants in the forum issued a closing statement, in which they expressed their thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Highness the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah protect them, for their distinguished efforts and sponsorship of initiatives to promote peaceful coexistence and civilized dialogue and confronting extremism and violence globally and in Iraq in particular. Participants also expressed their thanks and gratitude to His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League for this generous and appreciated initiative by all Iraqi references.

The closing statement stressed the necessity of activating the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Declaration, opening channels of constructive dialogue and positive communication between scholars to address emerging issues and renewed crises, and that this forum be a nucleus for adopting these channels. Participants also called for the dissemination of the common values ​​brought by Islamic Sharia to build the homeland and achieve citizenship by spreading the spirit of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and moderation, and rejecting extremism and exaggeration.

Participants also stressed that the priority in religious and media discourse is to emphasize the word of monotheism and unity of word, preserving the identity of the homeland, keenness on building it, rejecting terrorism and condemning violence in all its forms, in addition to paying attention to the jurisprudence of peace to contribute to building a righteous society based on coexistence and community peace.

Participants called for the rationalization of religious fatwas in order to achieve the purposes of legislation in preserving the five necessities, whether at the individual or community level, in a way that preserves Islamic and human commonalities.

The statement recommended the establishment of a commission for cultural communication between sects and religions that make up Islamic societies, and the establishment of a joint coordinating committee that brings together the Iraqi references and the Muslim World League, to follow up the initiatives resulting from this forum and activate any upcoming initiatives and coordinate among them and the events and activities that follow to achieve its set goals.

In his opening speech to the forum, His Excellency Dr. Al-Issa reiterated: “there is nothing between Sunnis and Shiites but fraternal understanding and optimal coexistence, and cooperation and integration in the context of sincere love, while accommodating the sectarian specificity of each of them within the circle of their religion, and nothing but what crossed the minds of the abhorrent sectarianism that is rejected “thanks to Allah” by everyone, which is a curse to itself before to others, with the importance of alerting others that it is nothing more than a group of intruders to the values ​​of religion and the homeland, that refrained from hearing the truth and so it got astray, especially those who had fallen into the maze of takfir, clash and conflict.”

His Excellency said: “In this pure space, where the uniting qiblah in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, the brothers of the religion, the brothers of the mission, values ​​and goals meet. They came from a dear country, whose glory is rooted, and whose history is eternal in the chapters of history. They are the scientific constellation that serves as a reference that is worthy of appreciation and respect by all.”

His Excellency addressed senior Iraqi scholars and religious references, saying: “Yes, every knowledge and thought that unites and does not separate, that brings harmony and does not alienate, is celebrated and appreciated. You’re worthy of it.

 These harmonious souls met with their firm knowledge and understanding only in awe with the pure holy site that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been honored to serve.

 The Kingdom has also been honored to make endeavors for the good of Islam and Muslims and the entire humanity, so Allah Almighty rewarded the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Highness the Crown Prince, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, for what they have done and doing, may Allah protect and bless them and grant success and guidance.”

The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League praised the strenuous steps taken by the Iraqi government in the prosperity and elevation of the great edifice of Iraq, reinforcing the comprehensive concept of national identity in the Iraqi conscience, stressing that identity is fixed and firm and unchanged, but deviation from moderation and tolerance is clear mistake in approach, often leading to misguidance that goes far beyond its narrow circle and its limited threat to hijack every emotion devoid of consciousness.

For his part, His Excellency Dr. Pashtwan Sadiq Abdullah, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, stressed that the Iraqi Kurdistan government has spared no effort in building the new, progressive, federal Iraq, and has contributed to writing the constitution that guarantees the rights of all components in Iraq.

He pointed out that Kurdistan was and still is a safe haven for all because of the decent life it enjoys, in addition to the peaceful coexistence and respect for all the rights of religions and sects, adding: “There is no doubt that holding such events and forums in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributes to the peace-building process,” stressing that this prominent role has a positive fruit in unifying the Iraqi ranks.

He praised the efforts made by His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa in bringing all sects and references closer together, consolidating the values ​​of brotherhood and rejecting hatred.

For his part, His Eminence Sheikh Ahmad Hassan Al-Taha, Top Scholar of the Iraqi Fiqh Council, stressed that the legal texts confirm that community peace is a legal duty, and we are all required to enter it, and it is the path to salvation in this life and the hereafter, adding: “Allah Almighty created man and made him a successive authority on earth, and He held him responsible for its reconstruction, and there is no reconstruction without a safe environment, in which a person’s religion, himself, his money and his honor are secure. Hence, the wise should stay away from everything that disturbs peace and security and destabilizes peace, and to stand all together in the face of those who seek to intimidate peoples, endanger their security, and fuel violence and extremism.”

He continued: “Therefore, the Islamic Sharia came with objectives aimed at achieving the interests of the peoples and warding off evils from them, and took into account the preservation of the necessities human life human life is supported only by them, represented by the preservation of religion, soul, reason, money and honor. Perhaps the highest purpose in which all these universal purposes are organized is peace. Perhaps the most powerful right that controls all partial rights is the right to live in safety. Accordingly, the Sharia, in its provisions, has worked to strengthen community peace that is directly related to the realization of these goals and the preservation of these necessities and expressed them in a message that unites us, and does not separate us, and that the conflicts that our countries and our regional surroundings are witnessing, are captive to internal motives based on the absence of wisdom in rooting, the lack of rationalization in religious discourse, and the loss of the principle of respecting the praiseworthy difference of diversity that guarantees freedoms and rights.”

He stressed that Iraq today needs more than before the unity of word and ranks, cooperation in righteousness and piety, and prioritizing public interests, in order to advance our country, restore our bright past, and turn the pages of our painful present.

He praised the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah protect him, in promoting regional and international peace and combating extremism, and the best evidence of this was the Makkah Declaration (in 2006) in order to stop the bloodshed in our wounded Iraq, and then strengthened it with coordination meetings in 2017, asking Allah Almighty to grant the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Salman, the government and the people all the best, prosperity and progress.

He also valued the efforts of the Muslim World League in bringing Muslims closer together and cooperating with them in overcoming crises.

In his turn, His Eminence Mohammad Ali Mohammad Ali Bahr Al-Uloom, Supervisor of the Teachers Institute for Graduate Studies, who spoke on behalf of the Shiite references, wished that this meeting would make even a small achievement in the building of our history, our nation and our society. He said: “We bear the Iraqis’ concern, this concern that resides in everyone’s heart. This is the concern that bears us the responsibility to end and address it.”

He stressed that one of the most beautiful expressions in which the Islamic nation was described is that it is a moderate nation as in the Holy Qur’an, adding that “moderation requires effort, behavior, work, and boldness in taking moderate positions, and if the difference is a fact, its path is determined by the Holy Qur’an for the moderate nation, which means distinction, expansion and openness to others.”

He stressed that the responsibility of religious scholars is to seek to establish rights and mutual respect, explaining that sectarian and ethnic pluralism in our society needs social and behavioral treatments bases on peaceful coexistence between individuals and not on the basis of prioritizing interests.”

In the same context, His Excellency Dr. Haider Hassan Jalil Al-Shammari, Head of the Shiite Endowment Diwan, noted: “Islamic scholars are eager for your responsible initiatives and they affirm their ability to achieve the programs and implement the goals you announce.”

He added: “The people of Sunnis Islam are ourselves, as His Eminence Al-Sistani said, and thus we can thwart every attempt to drive a wedge of discord between Muslims,” ​​stressing that the Muslim – from the Sunnis and Shiites – is the one who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah and with this testimony, they protect themselves.”

As for His Excellency Dr. Saad Hamid Kambash, Head of the Sunni Endowment Diwan, he said: “It is our pleasure to meet at the invitation of the Muslim World League, which was keen on unity of ranks and unity of word to consolidate Islamic brotherhood, especially in Iraq.”

He added: “We do not forget the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince, to serve the Islamic world in general and the Iraqi people in particular.”

For his part, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Saeed Waisi, Head of the Union of Scholars of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, explained that Iraq was famous for being the country of civilizations, science and scholars, the country that taught humanity reading, writing, agriculture and industry.

He said: “Your brothers in Kurdistan were the first to do everything good despite the national, religious and sectarian diversity, until it became an example to be followed at all levels,” explaining that the efforts of religious institutions in the region focused on consolidating the principle of communication and cooperation among all in Iraq on the basis of community service and the interests of its people.

He added: “In this blessed forum held in this blessed place, we look forward to making efforts to extend bridges of love and solidarity to serve Islam and Muslims.”

The conclusion of the forum witnessed the honoring of His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, by the Iraqi religious references for his initiative of calling for the holding of this forum and his efforts to bring sects and references closer, and to consolidate the values ​​of brotherhood and renounce hatred.