MUSLIMS MUST UNITE TO DEFEND THEIR FAITH -PAHANG SULTAN

KUANTAN, May 7 (Bernama) -- The Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, has urged all Muslims to unite to defend their faith in an increasingly challenging global Islamic environment.

Al-Sultan Abdullah emphasised that Muslims must share the same spirit of commitment in upholding Islamic law, regardless of their differences in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

“Even though Malaysia, as a nation, has a smaller Muslim population compared to other countries, the people should not allow themselves to be divided when facing challenges or important decisions.

"Each of us in Malaysia, especially in Pahang, may have different backgrounds, but our commitment to uphold Islamic law should be united with one spirit, one heart, one soul, and one mind, and we should implement it in the same way." 

The Pahang Ruler said this at the closing of the International Conference on Contemporary Education in the Islamic World (ICCEIW) here today.

Also present was the Crown Prince of Pahang, Tengku Mahkota Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.

Al-Sultan Abdullah also urged  Muslims not to support any form of violence, particularly those carried out by Muslims in the name of defending the religion, as such actions contradict the teachings of Islam.

“We have heard of groups like ISIS, Daesh, which have tarnished the image of Islam, instilling fear not only in followers of other religions but also in Muslims, due to their use of violence and coercion in the name of religion. This is not what we practice in our country (including in Pahang)," said Al-Sultan Abdullah.

His Highness also said that the issue of Islamophobia adds pressure on Muslims when the global community holds misconceptions about Islam.

As such, he views the ICCEIW conference as a significant initiative to address the issue of Islamophobia.

"Conferences like this are essential for us to find inspiration, seek guidance and discover insights. They help us develop a unified framework to advocate for the true essence of Islamic principles in the future," said Al-Sultan Abdullah.

ICCEIW is the inaugural conference organised by the Pahang state government in collaboration with Universiti Islam Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah (UnIPSAS), the Pahang Foundation, the Pahang Islamic Religious  and Malay Custom Council (MUIP) and the Association of Islamic Universities (Rabitah al-Jamiat al-Islamiyyah).

The three-day conference, which began last Sunday, was attended by 300 participants from 22 countries, including Indonesia, Brazil, Syria, India, Libya, Tunisia, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

The conference, which was also attended by Al-Azhar University rector, Prof. Dr. Salamah Daud, aimed to introduce a new dimension to scholarly discussions, particularly in the field of education.

-- BERNAMA