Global meet discusses tolerance in Islam

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

“Tolerance in Islam and its social and international necessity and effects,” hogged the limelight at the 24th session of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy Conference being held in Dubai. The participants discussed 12 research papers emphasising the importance of tolerance as the aspiration of religions and the aspiration of all mankind.

The session also highlighted the duty of thought leaders, politicians and religious scholars to assume their responsibilities in remembering the values of Islamic thought in terms of understanding, forgiveness, tolerance, transgression and improving relations between Muslims, and improving tolerance in Muslim relations with other religions.

In general, the values that were emphasised were that Islamic Sharia is simple, easy, and isn’t strict or rigorous on people.

The conference, hosted by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD), also discussed other topics including the achievement of food and water security and its effects on future challenges in Islamic countries and the human genome and future bioengineering. The conference also discussed the effects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the fields of food and water security from an Islamic perspective, and how the jurisprudence can contribute to facing the challenges of the Islamic Nation in this area.

Dr Hamad Bin Al Shaikh Ahmed Al Shaibani, Director General of IACAD, praised the vital role played by the Islamic Fiqh Academy in discussing issues that concern the present and the future of the Islamic Nation.

Earlier, the conference discussed topics such as the issue of smart contracts and how to activate and terminate them, digital currencies from a Shari’a perspective. Additionally, the issue of monetary inflation and change in currency value was also discussed which focused on linking rights and obligations to price change, Fiqh solutions to address the effects of inflation with accounting interpretation and analysis, the effects of monetary inflation and how to address it jurisprudentially and economically.

Among other issues discussed were the problems of cash money in the context of inflation situations from the Islamic perspective, the role of the principle of “reconciliation” in the handling inflation in the era of near money, and the negative effects forced by inflation on societies.

Recently, to mark the Year of Tolerance and promote the UAE’s vision on peaceful coexistence, religious tolerance, and acceptance of other cultures and faiths, Dr. Fahad Obaid Al Taffaq, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, opened a forum on interreligious dialogue and tolerance at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in the Nigerian capital Abuja.