Dr. Cerić at conference in Mecca: Extremists offer chaos invoking religion

Islamophobia has awakened and united us in defense of the sublime values of Islam, but Islamofanija confuses and divides us, making it much more dangerous and threatening to destroy the most essential aspects of our culture and tradition, namely coexistence and tolerance, said Dr. Mustafa Cerić, reisu-l-ulema emeritus and president of the World Bosniak Congress, addressing the world's ulema today at the global conference in Mecca on the topic "Islam and the fight against terrorism", reports the Patria news agency.

At the conference, organized under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia by the Muslim World League – Rabita, Dr. Cerić presented a paper on the topic "Chauvinistic sectarianism and political extremism".

-Sectarian chauvinism and political extremism that have befallen our ummah are phenomena that destroy the fabric of our community, our society, and our countries. Chauvinists and extremists offer pain, suffering, and hopelessness; they offer chaos invoking religion, which is absolutely pure of their words and their deeds.

Political extremism, on the other hand, alienates people from their right to actively participate in shaping their own destiny. Extremism in general is an evil that destroys community in society and the state, emphasized Dr. Cerić.

It is therefore necessary, he added, to identify the causes of sectarian chauvinism and political extremism, which should not be reduced to a story about lost and unemployed young men and women, nor should it be minimized as a passing trend.

He added that neither chauvinism nor extremism have any basis in holy books, nor do they have any connection with culture and tradition that nurture world civilization.

-These two scourges are consequences of human weaknesses and vices, which can be cured if we are sincere and honest with ourselves and others, concluded Dr. Cerić.

In addition to Dr. Cerić, papers at today's session were also presented by Isamuddin Al-Bashir, president of the Fiqh Academy in Sudan, Abdusselam Al-Ubadi, vice president of the Islamic World Fiqh Academy, and Nuruddin Al-Khadimi, former minister of religious affairs of Tunisia, it was announced from Cerić's office.