IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20th NOVEMBER 2009
MINAB CALLS MOSQUES TO ENCOURAGE
GREATER INTERFAITH DIALOGUE
The Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) and Lambeth Palace held a major Interfaith Conference at the Islamic Cultural Centre, London on 18th November 2009 to find a way to work together to help encourage greater social harmony and cohesive communities.
Speaking at this major event the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, the Rt Hon John Denham MP welcomed MINAB's initiative to encourage over 2000 Mosques in the UK to include in their Special Friday Sermons the importance of interfaith dialogue to encourage people at the grassroots levels to reach out to other faith communities.
In his speech he said:
"The Government acknowledges the important work that MINAB is doing. It is a unique body in Europe and sets an example for other countries to follow".
The event chaired by Dr Ahmed Al Dubayyan, Director-General of the Islamic Cultural Centre, London brought together key figures from all faith groups and was supported by the four main Muslim UK bodies, the British Muslim Forum, the Muslim Council of Britain, the Muslim Association of Britain and the Al-Khoei Foundation, which also represents other Shia communities.
The Secretary of MINAB Maulana Mohammad Masood Alam Khan Azhari announced that "all Mosques in the UK have been asked to encourage greater interfaith dialogue to help build cohesive communities in their Friday Sermons this week".
The Chairman of MINAB, Maulana Shahid Raza OBE said that: "MINAB is able to influence all Mosques in the UK because it is these Mosques that elected all the people involved in MINAB to step up the pace of change to bring about excellence in local Mosques and communities for the benefit of everyone".
"In this respect MINAB is not only a unique body in the world because it represents all the Islamic denominations but something for us to celebrate as we in the UK have led the way for others to follow".
He also said that, "MINAB takes the issue of interfaith dialogue seriously and I am pleased to announce that the Executive Board approved a special Interfaith Committee to be headed by Dr Ahmed Al Dubayyan at their meeting on 14th November 2009".
Sheikh Said Ferjani of the Muslim Association of Britain said: "interfaith dialogue is an essential and intrinsic part of Islamic belief". Sister Syeda Khalida Rahman Vice-Chair of MINAB said: "MINAB is a catalyst in enabling greater interfaith dialogue to happen across the country and it's Executive Board has encouraged the engagement of women and youth, as families are the building blocks of cohesive communities".
Chaudhry Mueen Uddin of the Muslim Council of Britain said: "Interfaith dialogue is a critical requirement for a healthy society and we must work to ensure that we promote greater understanding between all faith groups and communities".
The Advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Guy Wilkinson welcomed the MINAB conference and the opportunity for Mosques and churches to work together in creating a better society for everyone whether people of faith or no-faith.
The conference ended with a vote of thanks from Syed Yousif Al Khoei who said that: "The Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board is doing an important job however it can't do it alone. It's critical that everyone plays their part, however big or small".
-ENDS-
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1) For further information please contact Dr Waqar Azmi OBE, Chair of MINAB's Public Relations Committee on 07917 052 596 or on (0121) 285 0440.