In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

An Open Letter to All Muslim Men and Women Worldwide
Declaration of Global Encounter and Dialogue

All praise and thanks are due to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, who was sent as a mercy to the worlds, and upon his family and companions until the Day of Judgment.

Emphasizing the values of Islam and our belief that freedom of expression is sacred, but that freedom is conditional upon respecting the values and sacred things of others. This is considered the foundation of social peace, tolerance, and shared coexistence.

We call for the respect of Islamic sanctities and for them to be treated with honor and appreciation. We believe that the great, unchangeable, and sacred principles of Islam are:

• The Holy Quran.

• The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him).
  We reaffirm here that they must be respected and appreciated by all, due to their high status and position. Any violation of this right and aggression against it will lead to a disruption of the balance of justice and global peace.

We also emphasize the importance of respecting the prominent and charismatic historical figures of Islam, such as:

• The Mothers of the Believers.

• The Rightly Guided Caliphs and the esteemed Companions. Their great role in spreading Islam and developing Islamic society must be acknowledged. Any verbal abuse against these charismatic figures must be forbidden, as it causes great displeasure and anger among Muslims.

At the same time, we demand that there be no double standards and that judging with two different measures be abandoned, as this will lead any form of oppression towards extremism and injustice, especially in matters related to the great issues of freedom and liberation, such as:

• Refraining from interfering in the internal affairs of Islamic and Arab societies, while respecting the decisions of the peoples regarding who they choose to represent them.

• Protecting the rights of Muslim minorities.

• Liberating Jerusalem.

We call for the implementation of justice, and we call for respect for human rights and freedom of belief and worship throughout the world. Joint efforts between governments, international organizations, scholars, parliamentarians, and Muslim minorities must be supported to ensure these issues and achieve progress.

Therefore, we call for the practice and strengthening of dialogue and joint cooperation among all, the exchange of views, thoughts, and experiences, and the reinforcement of cognitive participation and successful experiences in the field of protecting sanctities and global issues, moving towards liberation and justice.

Prof. Dr. Ali Qaradaghi
Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars