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MECCA
AL-MUKARRAMAH DECLARATION
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST
GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL
We, the Kings, Heads of States and Governments,
and Emirs of the Member States of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC), meeting in the Third Session of the
Extraordinary of the Islamic Summit Conference, held in Honoured
Mecca from 5 to 6 Dhu'l-Qa'dah 1426 ah (7-8 December 2005 ce),
declare:
We praise high the Name of Almighty Allah,
Who has blessed us with the grace of gathering together on the
soil of this hallowed land, cradle of the revelation of Islam
and its message, and Qibla of all Muslims, from which the
light of Islam shone forth to guide humanity to the path of
prosperity and peace, thus enabling the foundations to be laid
of an Islamic civilization that was able to bring a much-needed,
timely, and decisive contribution to human civilization.
Whereas the purport of the lofty essence of
Islam was to ultimately bring the world out of the darkness of
ignorance, oppression, and tyranny and into the light of truth,
justice, developing sciences and knowledge, and peaceful
co-existence, we find ourselves today at an age of muddled
concepts, misguided values, and pervasive ignorance, as diseases
and epidemics gain ever-greater grounds, injustice takes hold,
and man's environment grows despoiled by the day. More than ever
before, we stand in dire need of a fresh vision to turn the tide
and the Ummah, as Almighty Allah has rightfully ordained, into a
guiding beacon and source of light that radiates forth science,
knowledge, and morality for the benefit of all humanity.
Protecting our Islamic identity, our basic
values, and the higher interests of the Ummah can only be
achieved through the sincere loyalty of Muslims to true Islam
and their commitment to its original principles and values as
their cherished way of life. Only then will the Ummah be able to
rise to the challenge of playing an instrumental, proactive role
in the service of humanity and human civilization.
Therefore, our conscience throbs in deep
synchronicity with the hearts and minds of the Ummah as
expressed by its scholars and intellectuals?may God bless them
on our behalf?in their meeting only weeks before this Summit
Conference. Thus are we only too aware of the political,
developmental, social, cultural and educational challenges they
brought to the fore; only too aware are we of the internal and
external threats that have helped to exacerbate the Ummah's
current plight, as they not only menace its very future but also
that of the whole of humanity and civilization.
These challenges must, therefore, be dealt
with through a strategic vision, which needs to plan for the
future of the Ummah just as it needs to maintain a responsive
pulse to international developments so as to gradually refine
itself into a forward-looking vision that enables the Muslim
world to tackle the chal-lenges of the Twenty-first Century by
leveraging the collective will and Joint Islamic Action.
At this stage, we are consequently called
upon to take a pause for a sincere and firm reflection on
reforming the Ummah, which is a process that starts with
reforming the self by rallying round a common stand based on
Almighty Allah's Holy Qur'an and the Noble Tradition of His
Prophet pbuh. This reform process should then naturally end in a
staunch counteraction of any miscreants who would wantonly work
evil sedition, who would misguide and mislead, and would distort
the loftiest tenets of our Islamic faith enshrined in its
intrinsic call for love, peace, harmony, and the civilized way
out. How can they speak and act for such perverted ideas
entrenched as they are in ignorance, isolationism, hatred, and
blood-letting?
Nevertheless, our Muslim Ummah is called upon
to meet today for the highest good and right in affirmation of
Almighty Allah's words enjoining us to: 'Hold fast to Allah's
rope [in unity] and not to be divided'. And that unity requires
our scholars and experts of jurisprudence to unify their stand
on exposing the corruption of these miscreants and the falsehood
of their claims in a determined show of strength and undivided
condemnation.
While we affirm, in this regard, that
terrorism in all its forms and mani-festations is a global
phenomenon that is not confined to any particular religion,
race, colour, or country, and that can in no way be justified or
rationalized, we are determined?with Almighty Allah's help and
grace?to develop our natio-nal laws and legislations to
criminalize every single terrorist practice and every single
practice leading to the
financing or instigation of terrorism.
Similarly, we are also called upon to redouble and orchestrate
international efforts to combat terrorism, including the
establishment of an International Counter-Terrorism Centre as
endorsed by the Riyadh International Conference on Combating
Terrorism.
Even so, all the governments and peoples of
the Ummah are unanimous in their conviction that reform and
development are the priority to which all efforts should be
channelled within a framework that is intimately moulded in our
Islamic social makeup.
At the same time this framework needs to
remain in harmony with the achievements of human civilization
and steeped in the principles of consultation, justice, and
equality in its drive to achieve good governance, widen
political participation, establish the rule of law, protect
human rights, apply social justice, transparency, and
accountability, fight corruption, and build civil society
institutions.
Indeed, the Islamic civilization is an
integral part of human civilization, based on the ideals of
dialogue, moderation, justice, righteousness, and tolerance as
noble human values that counteract bigotry, isolationism,
tyranny, and exclusion. It is therefore of paramount importance
to celebrate and consecrate these magnanimous values in our
Muslim discourse inside and outside our societies.
As we reaffirm our unwavering rejection of
terrorism, and all forms of extremism and violence, we strongly
voice our feelings of stigmatization and concern over the
growing phenomenon of Islamophobia around the world as a form of
racism and discrimination and declare our resolve to work hard
to combat this phenomenon with all available means.
Given the deep import of economic and social
cooperation in strengthening solidarity among Islamic States,
maximizing the advantages and averting the pitfalls of
globalization, we consider the eradication of illiteracy,
diseases and epidemics, and the fight to alleviate poverty in
Islamic States as urgent, strategic objectives requiring us to
drum up all necessary resources.
If we are to succeed in achieving our desired
objectives, then of necessity we must show commitment and
credibility in our Joint Islamic Action. Therefore, proceeding
from a new vision of the Muslim world that tackles head on
international challenges, as well as political, economic,
social, and cultural variables in a manner that safeguards the
values and interests of the Ummah, we adopt and endorse the
Ten-Year Programme of Action to face the challenges of the
Muslim Ummah in the Twenty-first Century.
To Almighty Allah we pray that He may guide
us onto the right path, crown our endeavours with success, and
bless our lives with abundant prosperity.
'Allah has promised those who believe among
you and who have done good deeds that He will surely empower
them in the earth just as He did with their predecessors and
that He will surely establish for them (therein) their religion
which He has preferred for them and that He will surely
substitute for them, after their fear, security (for) they
worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever
disbelieves after that?then those indeed are the evil doers.'
(Al-Nur 53, True are the Words of Allah).
Thank you for your attention.
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