By Mohamed Yahya Abdel Wedoud, *Sufi conference promotes religious moderation* - Magharebia - USA Monday, October 25, 2010
A week-end forum in Mauritania presented Sufism's unique perspective as an alternative to extremism.
A week-end forum in Mauritania presented Sufism's unique perspective as an alternative to extremism.
Nouakchott: The International Sufi symposium last week-end in Nouakchott made an urgent appeal for attendees to help spread a message of harmony and co-existence.
"At a time when the culture of exaggeration and extremism is trying to rip our intellectual structure apart and threaten our security and stability, we should revive the venue of Sufism, which is a source of peace and purity of hearts," Mauritanian Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmed Ould Neini said on Saturday (October 22nd).
In his opening remarks at the 2-day event, Neini described Sufism as "purification of hearts of the vices of hatred and envy and a spiritual bond that brings peoples together and unites feelings and hearts, transcending barriers and geographical borders".
The conference, organised by Sheikh Ahmedou Bamba Foundation, brought together leading Islamic thinkers and policy makers from the region and drew flocks of supporters. On Friday, before the event got under way, Ahmadou Bamba Foundation leaders visited several villages in southern Mauritania to meet with sheikhs of religious schools, students and leading Sufi figures. This was the same area where Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba lived more than 100 years ago.
Event coordinator Sheikh M'backé on Saturday addressed the participants and thanked both the Mauritanian government and people for hosting the meeting.
He emphasised the need to "establish religious moderation for the service of Islam and Muslims".
Some participants commented that globalisation "has not yet helped in highlighting the core values of Islam or in establishing love between peoples and realising social justice" and criticised the media for propagating messages of violence.
"Muslim extremists are a few, but their voice is higher these days than that of moderates," Oumar Ly, from Senegal, told Magharebia. "Unfortunately, many of the Arab media channels have become like forums for extremists to disseminate their narrow ideas that call for dividing people on sectarian and doctrinal bases," Ly said.
In many areas around the world, the image of Islam has become associated with violence, "a reality that we as Muslims must change", Ly noted. "Islam is the religion of mercy and is not a religion of violence. This fact must be clarified and promoted."
"The Sufi order in the region has played, and is still playing, a major role in linking the African peoples with the entire world with the aim of establishing world peace and realising welfare for all peoples," said religious affairs advisor to Senegalese Prime Minister Sheikh al-Karkh.
For his part, Hamden Ould Tah, chief of Mauritania's Union of Religious Scholars, described Sufism as "the panacea for violence, extremism and exaggeration," noting that some people misunderstand Sufism, which he believes is a "means to discipline souls by diving into the world of spirituality".
Ould Tah suggested "starting a broad dialog between the sheikhs of Sufism and capable religious scholars with the participation of social and psychological specialists, with the aim of producing a new and correct Islamic approach that would immunize young people against extremism in beliefs and behaviour".
"This approach should then be disseminated on a large scale via the different means of modern technology," he proposed.
Senegalese ambassador to Mauritania Mohamedou Sheikh highlighted the "leading role that the Sufi orders have historically played as a forefront of pure Islam and correct behaviour in Mauritania, Senegal and the entire region".
The conference ended with an award ceremony and prayers and supplications that peace and harmony prevail in the world.
Picture: Sufi symposium organiser Sheikh M'backé called for a new approach to confronting extremism. Photo: Mohamed Wedoud.
"At a time when the culture of exaggeration and extremism is trying to rip our intellectual structure apart and threaten our security and stability, we should revive the venue of Sufism, which is a source of peace and purity of hearts," Mauritanian Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmed Ould Neini said on Saturday (October 22nd).
In his opening remarks at the 2-day event, Neini described Sufism as "purification of hearts of the vices of hatred and envy and a spiritual bond that brings peoples together and unites feelings and hearts, transcending barriers and geographical borders".
The conference, organised by Sheikh Ahmedou Bamba Foundation, brought together leading Islamic thinkers and policy makers from the region and drew flocks of supporters. On Friday, before the event got under way, Ahmadou Bamba Foundation leaders visited several villages in southern Mauritania to meet with sheikhs of religious schools, students and leading Sufi figures. This was the same area where Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba lived more than 100 years ago.
Event coordinator Sheikh M'backé on Saturday addressed the participants and thanked both the Mauritanian government and people for hosting the meeting.
He emphasised the need to "establish religious moderation for the service of Islam and Muslims".
Some participants commented that globalisation "has not yet helped in highlighting the core values of Islam or in establishing love between peoples and realising social justice" and criticised the media for propagating messages of violence.
"Muslim extremists are a few, but their voice is higher these days than that of moderates," Oumar Ly, from Senegal, told Magharebia. "Unfortunately, many of the Arab media channels have become like forums for extremists to disseminate their narrow ideas that call for dividing people on sectarian and doctrinal bases," Ly said.
In many areas around the world, the image of Islam has become associated with violence, "a reality that we as Muslims must change", Ly noted. "Islam is the religion of mercy and is not a religion of violence. This fact must be clarified and promoted."
"The Sufi order in the region has played, and is still playing, a major role in linking the African peoples with the entire world with the aim of establishing world peace and realising welfare for all peoples," said religious affairs advisor to Senegalese Prime Minister Sheikh al-Karkh.
For his part, Hamden Ould Tah, chief of Mauritania's Union of Religious Scholars, described Sufism as "the panacea for violence, extremism and exaggeration," noting that some people misunderstand Sufism, which he believes is a "means to discipline souls by diving into the world of spirituality".
Ould Tah suggested "starting a broad dialog between the sheikhs of Sufism and capable religious scholars with the participation of social and psychological specialists, with the aim of producing a new and correct Islamic approach that would immunize young people against extremism in beliefs and behaviour".
"This approach should then be disseminated on a large scale via the different means of modern technology," he proposed.
Senegalese ambassador to Mauritania Mohamedou Sheikh highlighted the "leading role that the Sufi orders have historically played as a forefront of pure Islam and correct behaviour in Mauritania, Senegal and the entire region".
The conference ended with an award ceremony and prayers and supplications that peace and harmony prevail in the world.
Picture: Sufi symposium organiser Sheikh M'backé called for a new approach to confronting extremism. Photo: Mohamed Wedoud.
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