The first sessions of the international conference ‘Communication with the Departments of Religious Affairs, Ifta and Sheikhdoms in the World’ kicked off Sunday under the theme of: “communication and integration”.

Organized by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance with the attendance of nearly 150 leading Islamic scholars, muftis, religious leaders and thinkers from 85 countries, the first sessions of the two-day conference addressed efforts of the departments of religious affairs and sheikhdoms in the world to serve Islam and Muslims, in addition to promoting Islamic unity which featured keynote speakers, including Head of the Islamic Community in Croatia Dr. Aziz Hasanovic who presented a paper on the importance of the conference and activating the role of sheikhdoms and Ifta in strengthening Islamic unity to serve Islam and Muslims.

In his remarks before the conference, member of the Indonesian Ulema Council Sheikh Dzulqarnain bin Muhammad Sunusi affirmed that serving Islam and Muslims is the best acts of worship, outlining the status of unity and danger of division citing examples from the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah.

The session discussed experiences of Islamic societies and their Dawah efforts in Sri Lanka and Nepal, along with the propagation of Salafism and repudiation of extremism and radicalization.

Whilst the second session discussed the theme of communication and integration among the departments of religious affairs and sheikhdoms in the world featuring research papers that tackled the significant role undertaken by religious institutions in holding rituals, developing Islamic action, and building mosques.

Source: Qatar News Agency