Islamic scholar Qaradawi offers to lead delegation to Iraq

Doha, Jan 25 (UNI) In an effort to bring about rapprochement between the two warring factions of Islam-- the Shia and Sunni-- and prevent the sectarian divide between the two, internationally acclaimed Islamic scholar Sheikh Yousaf Al Qaradawi has offered to lead a Shia-Sunni religious leaders delegation to the strife-torn Iraq.

''There is an urgent need to dispatch delegation of religious leaders of all sects to Iraq to end violence there. If we fail to stop blood-shed and violence in Iraq, it may lead to chaos and confrontation among various sects in the Islamic world.'' President of the World Union of Muslim Ulema Sheikh Al Qaradawi said at the concluding session of the Internationl Conference for ''Dialogue of Islamic Schools of Thought'' here yesterday.

He urged top Iranian leader Ayatullah Sheikh Mohammed Ali Taskhiri, Secretary General of the Forum of the Proximity between Islamic Schools of Thoughts and other prominent scholars of Egypty, Oman, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to accompany him for the dialogue for finding an amicable and durable solution to the present crisis.

The Conference was attended by over 200 scholars from 44 Islamic nations. India was represented by Mufti Zahid Ali Khan of the Aligarh Muslim University and General Secretary of the Fiqh Academy Saif Khalid Rehmani.

In the final declaration, the conference said the ongoing fighting in Iraq could divide the country.

Dr Aisha Almanai, Rapporteur of the Conference, said the purpose of gathering of Muslim scholars was to unite the Ummah (Muslim community) and eliminate all such problems, which led to disputes.

Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Bin Hamad also made a fervent appeal to clerics not to use sectarian difference for political purposes. He asked them to focus on removing backwardness and stated ''sectarian and cotrinal conflict'' pose serious threat to the Muslim world.

Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Akmaluddin Ihsan Oglo also informed the gathering that the 55-member group was also planning to send a high-level team to Iraq to end violence.

The OIC is trying to stop blood-shed in Iraq, he said, adding leaders of rival factions met in Mecca recently to forge unity among them, but the initiative proved futile.

UNI