Tripti Nath/New Delhi

Muslim World League Chief Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa’s powerful speech at the Vivekananda International Foundation here reflected his rich and varied experience and his global credentials as the most moderate voice on Islam.

Leaders representing a spectrum of faiths assembled in VIF alongwith veteran strategic experts, scholars and mediapersons to listen to Dr Al-Issa who has also served as Minister of Justice in Saudi Arabia. They held on to his golden words and were convinced with his message of dialogue, peace and religious harmony. Dr Al-Issa articulated his views very convincingly on the theme “Dialogue for Harmony among Religions,” an event organized in collaboration with Global Foundation for Civilisational Harmony (India)

Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman, All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council in Ajmer (Rajasthan) said that Al-Issa’s grand oration, carries a very good message to humankind. “ He taught us to respect the civilization of all countries.’’

Asgar Ali Imam Mahdi, President of All India Jamiat-ahlehadis who had come to listen to Dr Al-Issa, told Awaz The Voice, “ It was a very good speech. His viewpoint that all human beings have the same geneology and that brotherhood can contribute to family and nation building, was something that really appealed to me.''

Likewise, Sadguru Brahmeshanandacharya, a globally revered spiritual leader who came all the way from Goa to hear Al-Issa’s speech, said, “ Al-Issa came here to make our people live with peace and harmony. He came with a torch to enlighten us and to spread peace.’’

The Guru from Goa drew attention to Al-Issa’s secular beliefs and the fact that he has studied Vedas.

The International Buddhist Conference was represented by four monks at the VIF gathering.

Ven Nanda, a Buddhist monk from Tripura in north-east India said, “What Dr Al-Issa said about the need for religious leaders to engage with one another instead of being confined in their own spaces, is very important. Unless we communicate, we will not know what the other person is thinking.’’

Senior IPS Officer Taj Hassan described the VIF event as “excellent.’’

Hassan who is Director General, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Ministry of Home Affairs, “ It was very meaningful. What appealed should look for common points between different cultures and Gurus (teachers) and not divisive points.This is the need of the hour.''

Arjun Hardas, India Representative, AJC (American Jewish Committee) Asia Pacific Institute agreed with Dr Al-Issa’s prescription on the need for inter-faith dialogue. “ A dialogue is critical. Unless you start talking, you are not going to get anywhere.''

The Muslim World League Secretary General said that that absence of dialogue creates misunderstanding. “Whenever there is a lack of dialogue between two, it leads to misunderstandings and problems. What is happening is that religious leaders tend to be confimed to their own rooms and therefore do not understand each other.''

Syed Khalique Ahmed, a Delhi based independent journalist hailed Dr Al-Issa's constructive suggestion that religious leaders come together to discuss misunderstandings. Ahmed said that all the points made by the Saudi reformist deserve to be taken very seriously. He said that these will definitely help in creating a better society and a better world.