London Proximity Conference Condemns Insults To Islamic Sanctity

London, Sept 30, IRNA – Participants at the 6th international conference on proximity of Islamic schools of thought in a statement released here on Saturday, condemned insult to Islamic sanctity. The 6th international conference on the proximity of Islamic schools of thought was held in London on September 29. The conference focused on the cultural role of proximity in achieving social co-existence. The themes of the previous editions of the Islamic proximity conference included ‘proximity among Islamic schools of thought, a present-day necessity’, ‘ proximity’s role in elevation of the Muslim Ummah and building its future’, and ‘global Islamic Awakening and proximity among Islamic schools of thought’. Prominent scholars and thinkers from Egypt, Britain, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco, France, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain attended the international conference. The final statement of the conference said: Holy Quran invites all human beings and both Muslims and non-Muslims to peaceful co-existence with each other. “Variety of thoughts will not impede peaceful and prosperous life of people but is a source of progress forward; proximity of religions can remove the misunderstandings and challenges to the co-existence of different sects in the human society; proximity meetings can help the exchange of views and result in convergence of ideas and lead to a practical unity among followers of different religions.” It added that freedom of expression should not be used as an excuse to insult Muslim sanctities and the international institutions including the United Nations, Non- Aligned Movement and Organization of Islamic Cooperation should pursue those behind the insult to Prophet Muslim (PBUH). “Muslim countries should care about divisive plots of arrogant powers and help the resolution of Syria crisis by supporting the upcoming Syria conference in Tehran and establishment of a contact group to help negotiations between Syrian government and opposition.” The statement declared also its support for the rights of Palestinians against the occupying force of Zionist regime and stressed that Muslim Ummah should practice solidarity in support of Palestinian nation. Recently, a film was being promoted by a Florida pastor, Terry Jones, known for previous Quran-burning stunts that angered Muslims in various countries. The film called 'Innocence of Muslims', previously called Desert Warriors and Innocence of Bin Laden, is a 2012 anti-Muslim movie which insults Muslims' Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). The film has been financed by more than 100 Jews and produced by an American-Israeli man in the US. The film has been widely condemned across the globe including Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc. Also, millions of Iranians in Tehran and other cities across the country held nationwide rallies in protest against the recent desecration of Islam. Also earlier this year, Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Seyed Mohammad Hosseini called on the nation to keep vigilant against the conspiracies and plots hatched by the enemies, reminding the complex nature and complicated aspects of soft war. In case of Syria developments, it should be noted that Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country. Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes. The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad. In October 2011, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies are seeking hard to bring the country into chaos through any possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of increasing unrest in Syria./end