Cairo: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (IOC), a key Muslim grouping of 57 Muslim countries, has warned against holding meetings that could weaken Muslims, in an apparent reference to a contested mini-summit being hosted by Malaysia.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad has recently proposed an Islamic alliance to address Muslim problems and Islamophobia, a suggestion widely seen as aimed at replacing the 50-year-old IOC based in Saudi Arabia.
“Convening Islamic meetings or summits outside the organisation is an unprecedented event that weakens Muslim in front of the international community,” OIC Secretary General Youssef Al-Othaimeen said, Saudi media reported on Thursday.
“It is not in the interest of the Islamic nation to have summits or meetings held outside the framework of the OIC, which marks its 50th anniversary, especially at this time of multiple global conflicts,” he added.
Al-Othaimeen’s remarks came as leaders Malaysia, Qatar and Turkey met in the capital Kuala Lampur for the so-called Muslim mini-summit that started on Wednesday.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan are not attending the four-day event, according to media reports.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani are already in Kuala Lampur for the controversial talks.
In the past few days, the Malaysia gathering has drawn heavy criticism from prominent Muslim personalities amid warnings it could spawn inter-Muslim divisions.
