Sheikh Manzoor Ahmed

Doha, Jan 22 (UNI) The three-day Islamic Conference today called for unity among Muslim sects to fight divisive and extremist forces, but failed to evolve a consensus on Iraq as a majority of religious heads blamed Iran for playing diabolic politics to divide the strife-torn country on an ethnic and sectarian basis.

''Iraq's unity is in peril and if collective efforts are not made, it will disintegrate and that will lead to escalation of tension in the entire Arab world,'' Muslim leaders from over 40 nations said at the conclusion of the conference for Dialogue of Islamic Schools of Thought. The conference was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiya.

In an obvious reference to Iran, top religious scholar of Yemen Dr Ibrahim Al Wazeer asked Iraqi neighbours of desisiting from inciting violence in the troubled country. Iraq's disintegration will have serious geo-political ramification in the region, besides throwing the entire islamic world into the quagmire of sectarian and doctrinal violence.

His thoughts were also shared by Dr Yousef Abdullah Qaradawi, president of the International Association of Muslim Scholars and Dr Ahmed Mohammed Al tayeb, head of the famous Al Azhar University of Egypty, who said Shiite literature was maligning Sunnis.

However, Head of the Iranian delegation Sheikh Mohammed Al Taskhiri accused western nations of creating a divide among the Muslims on the lines of sects and race. ''The western countries are targeting Islamic community by trying to divide the Muslim world into different sects and groups.'' He also refuted allegations that Iran was formenting trouble in Iraq, stating that the Iranian government did everything to prevent bloodshed there.

The conference witnessed a heated debate among Shia and Sunni leaders. The Shia particularly got offended by the remarks of Sheikh Yousf Abdullah Qaradawi, who called upon Iran to use its influence to end violence in Iraq.

''We did not expect a prominent scholar like Qaradawi to make provocative speechs,'' said Muhammed Al Athrashab of Iran More UNI