A three-day international conference was hosted and organized by Centre for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU) from October 14 to 16 in which around 20 speakers from around the world discussed challenges of secularism, sectarianism, colonialism and nationalism facing the Muslim world. The conference focus was on the “fault lines and perils facing Muslim societies”.

In his welcome address, Prof. Dr. Sami Al-Arian said that leading participating scholars will “engage in thoughtful discussions to appropriate answers to challenges the Muslim world is faced with…There is a scholarly debate about the steep decline of power and wealth of Muslims countries,”

He added that at the end of the conference “all scholars will come together and give their policy recommendations to solve the raging challenges of sectarianism, colonialism, nationalism, and secularism facing Muslim societies.”

In his welcome address, IZU rector, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bulut, said that the establishment of CIGA was a “great” achievement for IZU, especially for its “unique engagement with scholars across the globe in the study of Islam.”

Dr. Bulut observed that the problems faced by Muslims “are not easy to discuss and are harder to solve.” He referred to the shifting of the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, saying it was breach of international law, and terming it as a brazen move.

In his address, Prof. Louay Safi of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar, said that the Muslim world is going through tough times, but “there is hope and optimism.

In the plenary sessions, Prof. Halil Berktay from Ibn Haldun University, Prof. Joseph Massad from Columbia University, and Prof. Farid Esack from the University of Johannesburg discussed “the legacy of colonialism, liberalism, and modernity.”

Source: freepresskashmir.com