Dubai Thousands of people converged at the Dubai World Trade Centre in anticipation to hear Shaikh Abdul Rahman Sudais, Grand Imam of Masjid Al Haram, Makkah, who was scheduled to give a a sermon Friday.
However, the Grand Imam was conspicuous by his absence both on Thursday and Friday, leaving many people disappointed. The organisers failed to give any explanation.
"I was looking forward to see the shaikh and I came all the way from Ras Al Khaimah just to hear him speak. I was disappointed because the organisers had promised that he will be here today [Friday]," said Ahmad Abdullah.
Meanwhile, scholars said that Islam is the only solution to the problems of humanity and lasting peace can be attained by following the teachings of the Quran and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), at the Dubai International Peace Convention (DIPC).
Talks and presentations were held by renowned scholars from 10am till 11pm which was punctuated by Friday prayers led by Shaikh Mishary Rashid Al Afasi, Imam of Kuwait's Masjid Al Kabeer.
Submission
Al Afasi said: "The meaning of Islam itself is submission to peace. The most common slogan you will find in the Muslim world is ‘Salaam Alaikum' which means peace be upon you."
He said the original nature of Islam is peace and Islam allows war only in rarest of occasions. "War is an exception, it is allowed only in unavoidable conditions when somebody is trying to disrupt the harmony of the world or to defend the nation under attack," explained Al Afasi.
Shaikh Mohammad Al Sharif from Canada spoke at length about Islam's role in giving greater protection to women and offering them equal status with men.
Titled ‘Mohammad (PBUH) — The Ambassador of Peace', Dr Tawfiq Chowdhury from Australia explained how the advent of Prophet [PBUH] changed the world for the better and made life easy for everyone. Presenting a roadmap to peace was Shaikh Ahmad Hamid, the only UAE-based speaker in the group. Suggesting ways to attain global unity, he said: "Global unity can be attained through better understanding of each other, peaceful co-existence and going beyond the difference. People have to go back to their original holy scriptures and they will find that the basic teachings are the same and that is believing in one God.
"If they actually realise, recognise and worship that one creator, it will solve all problems. This is the key element that can unite a majority of the world's population."
The star of the show as usual was the crowd favourite Dr Zakir Naik. He had an interactive session of more than an hour, which was by far the longest and most attended, captivating the audience.
The DIPC ends today with another interactive session by Dr Naik, while Yousuf Estes, Shaikh Mohammad Salah, Shaik Saeed Rageah and Advocate Mayan Kutty Mather will be among others who will also speak on the last day.
The Dubai Metro yesterday started its service from 9am to help people reach the venue smoothly.
Dubai Lasting peace is a precious commodity that every individual craves for, be it a common man or a leader of the nation. But for many it is a mystery, Mohammad Akbar, director of the Salvation Exhibition, said yesterday,
The exhibition is part of the Dubai International Peace Convention 2012. It is an evidence-based exhibition of facts, figures, graphics and pictures that juxtaposes the ugly truth of the world against the ideal situation.
"The agony of a human being starts from the womb, which is evident from the fact that 42 million abortions take place every year across the world, and it continues through childhood as there 210 million orphans around the world, while the growing prevalence of illegitimate sex has resulted in millions of fatherless families. These situations prevail because human beings have failed to adhere to the natural way of life which add up to cause chaos and turmoil in the world," Akbar said.
The exhibition tries to prove in a scientific way through a series of slideshows that the only way to avoid the turmoil is by looking at the universe as a whole.
"The teachings of Quran are perfect for all situations and if implemented will create perfect balance and peace in the world," said Akbar, who is a physics teacher by profession, but has been curating exhibitions for the last five years.
The DIPC also showcased the contributions of Muslims in the fields of science, astronomy, biology and aviation, all inspired by the teachings of Quran. It also has a bazaar which brings together traders and manufacturers of halal products.
