Oman religious official calls for boosting Muslim-Western ties

Both Muslims and Westerners are responsible for any crisis in their relations and hence must join hands to overcome the situation through harmony and understanding, Oman’s top religious official said here on Monday. Awqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Salmi, who was opening a Human Rapprochement Week’ in which elite thinkers, intellectuals, researchers and academics from around the world are taking part, observed that Muslims, Christians and Jews had one thing in common — they were all descendents of Ibrahim.  “Moreover, Muslims and Westerners have shared certain common cultural experiences, such as the one in Andalusia, Sicily, Oman and Baghdad,” he added. The event is organised by the Sultan Qaboos Centre for Islamic Culture (SQCIC) and dignitaries attending the opening ceremony included Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad al Khalili, the Grand Mufti of Oman, several ministers and members of the State Council and Majlis Ash’shura. Shaikh Abdullah noted that disagreement among cultures and religions had not reached the level of a global problem that required conferences and seminars as it was the case with Islam. This, he said, was mainly attributed to the fact that Muslims constituted one-fifth of the world’s population and that many of them adhered to their religious and cultural beliefs whether they were in their own countries or abroad. “Some may think that these beliefs are against their traditions, values and laws to the extent that some may practice violence to show their disagreement,” he added.  Habib bin Mohammed al Riyami, Secretary-general of SQCIC, said the Rapprochement Week had been organised on orders from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to facilitate communication among different world cultures and reach a common understanding.  It aimed at “promoting the human cooperation concept based on mutual respect, cultural exchange and solidarity among peoples,” he added. The first day’s programme consisted of two sessions titled “Rapprochement and Cultural Dialogue: History, Models and Challenges”’ and “Cultural Rapprochement: Means and Tools.” The speakers included Dr John Esposito, founding Director of the Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University and Editor-in-Chief for Oxford Encyclopedia of Islamic World. Muscat - Khaleej times