IPOH, July 29 — 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 said the West, even in the post-colonial period, still holds onto old precepts of the "other", leading to misunderstanding, misinformation and rejection, which contribute to Islamophobia.
“How do you survive and live in a society like a multiracial, multi-religious Malaysia and avoid discussing other religions, cultures, civilisations… and then demand the West must understand us?
“I think it is the engagement that is required 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), which was graced by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
Anawr 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 it 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 this is a requirement to achieve not only peace and prosperity, or even sustainability, through reasoned discourse,” he said.
WCIT, a Perak event organised by Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah since 2012, has participants from more than 21 countries.
The three-day conference, which began today, provides a platform for regional and international leaders, scholars, intellectuals, professionals, and the public to exchange ideas for addressing global contemporary problems.
— Bernama
