Month meant for peace, not violence

Violent acts across the Islamic world should stop during Ramadan, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference says.

ABU DHABI // Violent acts across the Islamic world should stop during Ramadan, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said yesterday. "I hope the serenity of this blessed month will not be violated, as was the case in similar past occasions, which witnessed the perpetration of crimes against innocent people, although Islam insists strongly on the sanctity of the human soul," Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the OIC, said in a statement.

"The perpetration of such acts, particularly during the Holy Month of Ramadan, should therefore be completely rejected and overtly condemned," he said. "We reaffirm our determination to fight this blight with all means, in collaboration with the international community." Mohammed al Zaabi, an FNC member from Sharjah, attended the last OIC meeting held in the UAE. He said the country has a similar official message: "The UAE is always seeking peaceful ways and avoids using violence."

He added: "We hope that the world will respond to the organisation's call, because Ramadan is a sacred month, so we hope that Islamic organisations and authorities will take it seriously and try to implement it." Prof Ihsanoglu also called on Muslim states to provide assistance to the Palestinian people and to Pakistan. The UAE Red Crescent Authority announced recently that it would provide iftar meals at the courtyard of the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, in the West Bank and at Palestinian camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Yemen and Gaza.

The agency also plans to feed Somalian refugees and displaced individuals from Yemen's Sa'ada region. @Email:[e-mail]