Scholars and Clerics from 90 Countries Gather in Mecca to Discuss “Bridging the Divide Between Islamic Sects”

The second edition of the international conference “Building Bridges between Islamic Sects” began yesterday in Mecca, organized by the Muslim World League, with the participation of senior Muslim clerics and scholars from over 90 countries.

During the main session titled “Towards an Effective Islamic Consensus”, participants emphasized the unity of Muslims, facing challenges, and achieving the highest interests of the Islamic nation.

The first session, titled “The Jurisprudence of Differences and the Culture of Coalition”, delved into the concept of “the jurisprudence of differences” in Islamic heritage, which aims to explain the etiquette of legal disagreements between Islamic sects, their ethical and scientific foundations, and how to turn jurisprudential differences into a factor of enrichment and integration rather than division and conflict. It also discussed the concept of coalition as a legitimate value derived from the texts of the Quran and Sunnah.

The second session, titled “Elements of Islamic Coalition”, discussed the foundations on which the coalition among Muslims is built, and the future opportunities to strengthen it in the face of numerous challenges. This could be achieved by enhancing the presence of shared beliefs and jurisprudence in the context of opening up avenues for positive dialogue, or by strengthening the role of active institutions in this field like the Muslim World League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which make unified decisions, anticipate the prospects of reconciliation through practical initiatives that enhance understanding between sectarian schools within the nation.

The third session of the conference, under the title “Fields of Common Work among Islamic Sects according to the Building Bridges Document,” focused on areas of work that have been laid out in the common ground document for building bridges between Islamic sects to achieve the interests of the nation. Examples include: general legal issues and humanitarian work, scientific and educational cooperation, coordination in media and social areas, especially in confronting common threats and risks that target the unity of the Islamic nation.

The fourth session, titled “Nation Issues and Position Coordination”, shed light on the key issues and challenges facing the Islamic nation today, especially the Palestinian issue and positive change in Syria, the situation in Sudan, the reality of Muslim minorities, among others. It highlighted the coordination of efforts between scholars and leaders to address these challenges with a spirit of solidarity and cooperation, countering sectarian strife, enhancing a unified Islamic voice on major issues, and defending constants, rights, and sanctities.

The final session, titled “The Journey of Islamic-Islamic Dialogue”, emphasized the importance of enhancing dialogue through transparent guarantees surrounded by Islamic brotherhood and mutual respect, while reviewing the developments of its elements and foundations.