Shaikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Abu-Dhabi based Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, has urged scholars, thinkers, the elite and general public in Muslim countries to take a firm stand against devious ideologies and erroneous approaches.
"This ideology has gone too far in ignorance and aberration while stabbing the spirit of the nation with black vengeance and blind hatred," bin Bayyah said in a statement issued about the recent incidents of violence and terrorism, namely the attempted attack on the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, that was thwarted by the Saudi security forces.
He said that such heinous crimes should prompt scholars, thinkers and all Muslims to take a historic position at four levels.
At the first level, he explained, they should stand in solidarity with the king and the government of Saudi Arabia.
"At the second level, all individuals and institutions should embrace a sense of responsibility and duty to foil this "mad plot and its criminal schemes."
"Within this context, Muslim communities and their educational institutions should stand up together to protect nations, people and property while immunising their children against what leads to extremism and violence."
At the third level, he noted, scholars and religious authorities should unite to perform their duty of enlightening the nation.
"There should be concerted efforts and ranks should be closed for joint action to create an intellectual front against this ideology and the violence it propagates, to correct misconceptions, and failures of the approaches, using complete legitimate strictness and scholarly accuracy," he stated.
Action should not be limited to condemnation, he said, "because the recent developments that have exposed the nature, extent, diversity and dangerous tools of terrorist crime, should prompt scholars to develop an equally effective strategy to engage in ideological confrontation."
"At the fourth level, security personnel should be appreciated. Had it not been for their blessed efforts and great sacrifices, the consequences would have been disastrous," bin Bayyah added.

Source: WAM