Saudi grand mufti: It is incumbent on all Muslims to show Islam’s bright side

Makkah: Grand Mufti and President of the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh emphasized that it is incumbent on all Muslims to show the bright side of Islam through becoming its true models in their words and deeds.
“It is unfortunate that this shining aspect of Islam was hidden due to the sectarian practices being pursued by some Muslims who offend Islam through their unscrupulous dealings and despicable deeds and thus inflicting damage to the reputation of the divine religion,” he lamented, according to Saudi Gazette.
The Grand Mufti urged Muslims to follow the true character of Islam with good behavior, honesty in words and deeds, decency, trustworthiness in financial and commercial transactions and fulfilling their contracts and promises, along with staying away from injustice, treachery, falsehood and harming others.
Al-Asheikh, who is also president of the Constituent Council of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) made the remarks during his inaugural speech at the MWL Annual Hajj Meet in Mina on Saturday. Several eminent Islamic religious leaders and scholars from around 72 countries across the world as well as prominent scholars from within the Kingdom attended the meet with the theme of “Moderation and Tolerance in Islam: Texts and Facts.”
They included MWL Secretary General Sheikh Muhammad Al-Isa, Mufti of Egypt Shawki Allam, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Hussein, Mufti of Chechnya Salah Medjiyev, and Chairman of the Fatwa and Grievances’ Council of Mauritania Sheikh Muhammad Mballa. They came to perform Hajj as the guests of MWL.
In a final communiqué adopted by the meet, the scholars lauded the great efforts made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and the Saudi government in promoting Islamic causes. They praised the King for his key initiative that paved the way for reopening the doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as well as his remarkable role in highlighting Islam’s moderation and initiatives to establish King Salman Center for Global Peace, and the Global Center to Combat Extremism.
The scholars thanked the King and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, for their outstanding contributions in serving the Two Holy Mosques as well as pilgrims and visitors to these mosques.
In his speech, the Grand Mufti stressed that moderation, justice and tolerance are the most distinguished characteristics of the religion of Islam. “The moderation of Islam manifests itself in all the qualities of goodness, nobility, kindness, justice, fairness, mercy, fraternity, love, renunciation of violence and aggression, as well as calling for goodness and morality, forgiving the sinner and keeping patience when getting harmed and showing mercy to all the living beings.”
The Grand Mufti called on scholars, preachers, writers and cultural figures to highlight Islam’s moderation and tolerance through words and deeds, especially contributing to disseminate information in this regard through the print and electronic media as well as through the social media and other available media outlets.
HA/IINA