Contents AUGUST 2019 | VOLUME 48 | ISSUE 8 1. The Month in Review 7. Science & Technology The main events and activities of H .E . Sheikh Dr . Mohammad bin White Gold as the New Black Gold . .40 Abdulkarim Al-Issa for the end of July and the month of August 2019 . 5 8. Women & Society 2. Letter from the Editor New Royal Decree, A New Empowerment of Women . 41 The Power of Principle . .10 9. Cultural Essays 3. Editorial Leaders True Muslims The Hajj in Literature and Poetry . .42 Solving Sri Lanka: The National Conference . .12 seek harmony “Engaging the Senses”: Arts of the Islamic World” Inter-Faith Outreach, Inter-Faith Aid: MWL Aid and Non-Muslim Groups . 14 The Sackler Gallery, Washington DC . .44 The Spirit of Colombo: Honest Debate & Honorable Dissent . .18 with everyone, 10. Historic Essay 4. Guest Essays regardless “Common Ground”: The Ground-Breaking Inter-Faith Dialogue Meeting, October 2007 . 46 Dialogue Does Not Mean Merely Words”: Dr . Al-Issa’s Speech at Colombo . 20 of religion or Government as Imperative Force of Unity”: President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka . .24 nationality. The Impact of Leaders Who Can Lead”: Patriatch Kiril Of Moscow . 26 — His Excellency Sheikh 5. Geopolitical Essay Dr . Mohammad bin The Mina Conference, August 2019: “Aspects of Civilization in Islam” . 28 Abdulkarim Al-Issa Rimini, Italy: Moderation and the Art of the MWL . 30 6. Hajj 2019: special feature The Hajj: A Pilgrimage of Spirit Hajj as one of the Five Pillars of Islam . 32 The Day of Arafat . 33 The Meaning of Eid Al Adha . 34 Mecca or Makkah? The MWL View . 35 Qu’ranic Passages . 36 “The Farewell Speech” . 37 Haramain Rail: High-Speed Hajj . 38 THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE JOURNAL • AUGUST 2019 3 HAJJ REFLECTIONS 2019 MWL in August Highlights of the Month in Review “Religion has never been a JULY 31 the Russian Federation’s respect If we work off threat to humanity … Our duty as The “National Conference for for and interest in the Arab and leaders, references and religious Peace, Harmony and Co-Exis- Islamic cultures and its consis- just 10% of the figures is to confront this false tence” opened in Colombo, Sri tent efforts to communicate with claim ”. Lanka, with representatives from the Muslim world . common values that nation’s Buddhist, Hindu, v Jewish, Muslim and Christian that we share, we populations, attracting over AUGUST 1 “This conference is here to assert 2000 guests . Dr . Mohammad Dr . Al-Issa met with His Emi- would be strong the solidarity of goodwill with bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa was the nence Cardinal Albert Malcolm steadfastness and perpetuity . guest of honor and addressed Rajinth of the Catholic Church enough to bring However, we mustn’t deny our the distinguished gathering in an in Sri Lanka . He is the ninth peace to the lack of resolve in allowing the evo- in-depth speech focused upon the Archbishop of Colombo, serving lution of the primary material of “dire need” for raised intellectual since 2009 and was elevated to violent extremism and terrorism awareness among nations to the the cardinalate in 2010 . There whole world.” under the guise of the hegemony power of cultural sentiment and are an estimated 700,000 Cath- of religious and ethnic ideology ”. the common cause of inter-faith olics and 1 .96 million Muslims — H .E . Sheikh Dr . Mohammad religious dialogue . The confer- in the country . Buddhists and bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa v ence took place close to four Hindus make up the majority months after the Easter Massacre population . “The world is in dire need of terror attacks in Colombo on April national intellectual awareness 21, 2019 . –– awareness that leads to bolstering harmony and stability . This will give rise to the respect JULY 31 of constitutions, laws and cul- In Moscow, Dr . Al-Issa was tures of the countries where we recognized for his work building live, in addition to the respect of bridges between the Islamic world religious and cultural dominance and Russia, receiving an honorary that expresses the opinion of the doctorate presented to him in a majority in each country, and also formal ceremony by the Institute considering their feelings ”. of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences . H .E . Dr . --H .E . Dr . Al-Issa Al-Issa expressed his pride at be- ing recognized by one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world . The 200 year-old H .E . Dr . Al-Issa receiving honors at the National Conference for Peace, Harmony and institute is renowned for its distin- Co-Existence from Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena . H .E . Dr . Al-Issa presented a guished, impartial and fair studies donation of $5 million to the victims of the country’s “Easter Massacre” earlier this year . of Islam . Dr . Al-Issa also praised 4 AUGUST 2019 • THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE JOURNAL THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE JOURNAL • AUGUST 2019 5 We must protect our children from every aspect of extremist AUGUST 1 H .E . Sheikh Dr . Al-Issa met with indoctrination…We must teach them that no religion whatsoever the leader of the National Alliance of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and the preaches violence and fanaticism.” 16th Leader of the Opposition (Parliament), Mr . Rathman Sam- — H .E . Dr . Al-lssa, Sri Lanka pathan . Mr . Sampathan expressed his appreciation for the efforts by the Makkah-based organization to AUGUST 9 AUGUST 10 AUGUST 13 enhance intercultural communica- The Holy Pilgrimage to Makkah, This day is known as the Day of The MWL increased its efforts to tion among Tamil Muslims . or “Hajj,” began today. For the oc- Arafat, the second day of Hajj, mitigate the impact of physical casion, the Muslim World League when Muslims gather at the sa- and psychological violence suf- AUGUST 1 hosted more than 500 scholars cred hill of Mount Arafat in Saudi fered by the Rohingya refugees While in Colombo, Dr . Al-Issa re- from around the world . The organi- Arabia for a day or worship and re- of India and Bangladesh, imple- ceived the Key to the City from the zation also sponsored the journeys flection. Please see the “Hajj 2019” menting specialized initiatives mayor of that capital, Ms . Berna- of more than 100 faithful from section of this issue for more for the care of orphans and dine Rosy Senanyake . Ms . Senen- New Zealand . Approximately two detail on this fascinating tradition . widows . yake is also the Spokesperson and a half million Muslims gath- for Prime Minister Ranil Wickra- ered in Makkah to take part in the masinghe and Deputy Head of the Holy Pilgrimage . AUGUST 11 AUGUST 14 Prime Minister’s Office. Sheikh Dr. Eid Mubarak! Eid Al Adha 2019. The Muslim World League Hidayat Nur Wahid, Vice Chairman The Eid al-Adha began on Satur- gathered religious scholars of the Sharia Council of Indonesia AUGUST 9 day August 10th and ended the from more than 50 countries at and member of the Muslim World The MWL and Arab News part- evening of August 11 . Also known the annual Hajj Conference in League’s Supreme Council, also nered with the latest “Hajj app,” an as the “Festival of the Sacrifice,” Medina . The theme of the 2019 met with H .E . Sheikh Dr . Al-Issa . updated version featuring a pilgrim it is the second of two Islamic Conference was: “The Aspects of tracker enabling users to share holidays celebrated worldwide Civilization in Islam . their location and allowing loved each year andis considered the AUGUST 2 ones to follow in real time . holier of the two . Please see the Keeping in the spirit of the inter- “Hajj 2019” section of this issue national environmental programs for a more in-depth look at this supported by the Muslim World observance . League, H .E . Sheikh Dr . Al-Issa joined Sri Lankan dignitaries in planting a tree in the Sri Lankan capital . H .E . Dr . Al-Issa receives an honorary doc- AUGUST 2 torate from Prof . Vitaly Naumkin, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the In offering condolences to the Sri Russian Academy of Sciences . Lankan community and its fami- lies most deeply impacted by the H .E . Dr . Al-Issa walking with the Mayor terrorist attacks in Colombo earlier of Colombo, Rosy Senanayake . this year, the Muslim World League donated $5,000,000 to support victims of those attacks . H .E . Dr . Al-Issa met with Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith in Sri Lanka to advance religious coexistence ahead of the Conference on Peace, Harmony and Coexistence . H .E . Dr . Al-Issa inaugurates the MWL’s participation at the Pavilion in Rimini, Italy . 6 AUGUST 2019 • THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE JOURNAL THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE JOURNAL • AUGUST 2019 7 AUGUST 14 At this year’s Hajj conference in Medina, Egypt’s Minister of Awqaf (charitable donations under Islamic law), Dr . Mohammad Mukhtar Juma emphasized the necessity of building bridges of harmony across cultures with the goal of eliminating hatred and extremism . AUGUST 19 On World Humanitarian Day, the MWL rein- forced the message that it is committed to hu- manitarian relief to people affected by war and natural disasters through its charitable arm, the International Organization for Relief, Warfare and Development . H .E . Dr . Al-Issa delivers riveting address at the Rimini Conference about the need for co-existence and accep- tance among all people, regardless of faith, religion or creed . AUGUST 20 In Italy, H .E . Sheikh Dr . Mohammad bin Ab- AUGUST 21 lives to the promotion of understanding and dulkarim Al-Issa opened the MWL Pavilion at While at the Rimini Conference, H .E . Dr . Al-Issa collaboration between religious groups and cit- the 40th annual Rimini meeting for Friendship was honored with the “Children of Abraham” izens of different faiths and to the construction Among Peoples, a gathering that boasts more award by the Florence School of Dialogue, of human solidarity .