Prague, April 14 (CTK) – The terrorists who commit crime in the name of Islam are no Muslims, Turkish ambassador Ahmet Bigali told CTK at a conference on multicultural dialogue held in Prague yesterday.
Islam forbids terrorism, Bigali said.
However, it often happens in the present-day world that misunderstandings occur between various religions and cultures that cause a growth in hatred and fears, he added.
The terrorists who claim Islam only harm the religion, they do not represent Islam, Bigali said, adding that Islam forbids killing of people.
Unfortunately, really appalling terrorist attacks do happen and those who committed them claim they act in the name of Islam, Bigali said.
In reality, Islam and terrorism cannot be linked, he added.
The automatic linking of Muslim belief and terrorist attacks causes a growing tension between members of various cultures, contributing to the spread of fear of Islam xenophobia, Bigali said.
These are the tendencies that are poisonous for any society, he added.
An intensive dialogue between representatives of individual religions and political leaders is a solution, Bigali said.
Bigali chairs the Prague Group of Ambassadors of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Along with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the Foreign Ministry, it has staged the conference “Overcoming Global Threats. Enhancement of Intercultural Dialogue, Stability and Peace.”
In a joint statement, participants agreed that violence committed on behalf of a religion was unacceptable.
They called for understanding and respect among representatives of various cultures and religions.
The conference was opened by Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (Social Democrats, CSSD) on Wednesday.
He said Europeans and Muslims lived in the same streets and houses. This is why it is necessary to overcome their differences and seek understanding.
