Malaysia honoured with invitation to Al-Azhar World Conference on Jerusalem

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia continues to be held in high regard by other Islamic countries in the world for its assistance and views on matters related to the Muslim world.
In the latest development, the country's leading Mufti, Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri (pix) has been extended a special invitation to represent the country at the Al-Azhar World Conference To Support The Cause of Jerusalem where discussions are expected to be held and a resolution found towards objecting the US action of recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The conference, jointly organised by the Islamic institution, Al-Azhar As-Syarif, ?and Majlis Hukamak Muslimin (Muslim Council of Elders) will be held on Jan 17 and 18 at the Al-Azhar Convention Centre in Cairo, Egypt.
Zulkifli, who is also Federal Territories Mufti, has been invited to express his views at the meet, where Muslim thinkers from all over the world are expected to congregate.
Al-Azhar As-Syarif is the foremost Islamic knowledge centre in the world and plays the role of safeguarding the heritage of Islam while promoting peace, harmony, the concept of wasatiyyah and research as well as propagating the real message of Islam to communities worldwide.
Al-Azhar world conference
Among the bodies under the patronage of the Institute of Al-Azhar are the Al-Azhar Supreme Council, Al-Azhar Ulama Council, Al-Azhar Research and Studies Centre, Al-Azhar University dan Maahad Al-Azhar.
In an interview with Bernama recently, Zulkifli said, Al-Azhar has been always concerned with issues affecting Muslims particularly in defending Jerusalem, which is the third holiest city for the people of the faith.
"In the invitation letter, we were also informed of the current situation of Jerusalem, which has greatly affected the Muslim world, following the acknowledgement of the city as the capital of Israel by the United States.
"Against this development, the world needs a formula from Islamic thinkers and ulamas, with Al-Azhar taking a lead on this matter that Palestine is facing right now," he said.
The meeting is expected to produce a single voice of unity and partnership among the participants to come up with the best solution for the Palestine issue, he said.
It will be a highly significant conference in the efforts to defend Jerusalem against the Zionist Israel, apart from getting all Muslims to come together to object to the US action.
The conference is also expected to see the participation of international organisations and peace lovers from all over the world.
Among the main agenda to be discussed will be the identity of Arab and its role towards Jerusalem, the revival of global awareness on the ownership of the city as well as the responsibility of the Muslim community towards the cause.
"God-willing, I will attend the event to show support for Al-Azhar As-Syarif and the good work done so far and the continued efforts being taken by various parties to return Jerusalem to the Palestinians," he said.
Ulamas fighting the Jerusalem cause
Meanwhile, Al-Azhar in a statement on its website said the conference is expected to produce a resolution on the issue of the citizens of Palestine and acknowledge the rights of the Palestinian people in their efforts to establish an independent and sovereign state.
The conference will also call on all Islamic learning centres to enter in their curriculum the history of the fight of the Ulamas in defending Jerusalem as a holy city of the Muslims.
In the statement, Al-Azhar said it will also upgrade the curriculam of schools under its wings to bring about early awareness to students on the history and sanctity of the Palestine land.
History has proven that there have been long-drawn disputes by many parties over Jerusalem from earlier times, especially Muslims and Jews due to the sacredness accorded to the land in the scriptures of all the Abrahamic religions.
Zulkifli said the Muslim ulamas have always defended Jerusalem as it housed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the three most holiest sites for Muslims besides the Great Mosque of Mecca and the Nabawi Mosque.
"For example, Al-Azhar ulamas like Sheikh Gad al-Haq Ali Gad al-Haq, Syeikh Ali Tantawi and Syeikh Ahmed Mohamed Al-Tayyeb always played a major role in the issue of Jerusalem, to the point where Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Al-Nadawi wrote about how important Palestine was in the life of the Muslims and how it was even considered as the core of their hearts."
Zulkifli also cited the story of Ottomon ruler Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who had rejected an offer from Theodor Herzl to buy the Palestine land and how in fact he had lost his life defending the city.
He said the act of Sultan Abdul Hamid II needed to be commended as at that time, although the Ottomon empire was called the Sick Man of Europe but with their sheer tenacity, they still did not compromise on their Islamic principles.