Engagement Between Muslims And Others Vital To Avoid Islamophobia - PM Anwar

IPOH, July 29 (Bernama) -- Engagement between Muslims and others is necessary for fostering mutual understanding and avoiding the misunderstandings that lead to Islamophobia, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar stated that the West, even post-colonial period, still retains old precepts of the "other", leading to misunderstanding, misinformation and rejection of the other, which is termed Islamophobia.

“How do you survive and live in a society like a multiracial, multireligious Malaysia and avoid discussing other religions, cultures, civilisations … And then demand the West must understand us?

“So I think it is the engagement that is required by us to get others to understand us, and for us to understand them,” he said in his speech at the 7th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation (WCIT) ‘Together We Stand: Muslims and Global Humanity’ here today.

The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, graced the conference. 

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

The Prime Minister also urged Muslims to understand the concept of ladzatul ma’rifah, which means sharing knowledge, learning and scholarship.

“You yearn to get the best to understand and appreciate, as much as we have understood the injunction of the Quran, using in terms of a very relevant, pertinent terminology, not just tolerance, but lita'arafu. It’s learning from one another, understanding one another, appreciating the differences.

“My contention is we must have the courage and conviction to continue discourse, the spirit of ladzatul ma’rifah, to understand, appreciate and realise that this is a requirement to achieve not only peace and prosperity or even sustainability through reasoned discourse,” he said.

WCIT, a Perak state event organised by Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS) since 2012, has participants from more than 21 countries.

The three-day conference, which started today, aims to provide a platform for regional and international leaders, scholars, intellectuals, professionals, and the public to exchange ideas for addressing contemporary problems affecting the world.

-- BERNAMA