The Muslim World League launched an urgent petition, calling on religious leaders around the world to take a unified stance and “raise their voices loudly to bring peace, end violence, and extinguish the fire of war in the Gaza Strip.”
Secretary-general of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa stressed that religious leaders and civil society institutions have more to offer in order to bring peace around the world, saying that their solidarity would help in resolving the most urgent and complex international crises, especially issues that have “religious roots.”
The petition is a prelude to establishing an alliance between religious leaders, according to the MWL.
“It stems from its message of faith calling for justice, wisdom, mercy, reform, and the benefit of humanity in general,” said a statement by the MWL, emphasizing the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as “containing the raging conflict in the region, releasing all hostages without conditions, and then continuing the hard work towards supporting good efforts [...] to achieve comprehensive peace.”
Al-Issa said: “In the face of the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Muslim World League, in cooperation with its interfaith partners, is committed to redoubling efforts to stop the war, end this human suffering, and bring about just and comprehensive peace.”
He also stressed that the path to peace is led by “sincere determination” and “conscious logic,” pointing out that the region today is a “scene of anxiety, turmoil, and violence”, while it is a holy land that embraced the prophets and messengers.
It also underscored the moral obligation to speak publicly “with a united, strong and effective voice to achieve the desired impact.”