Islamic Voice A Monthly English Magazine

January 2006
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Cover Story

Summit Gives Hope to the Muslim World
Makkah


The Extraordinary Islamic Summit in the holy city of Makkah last month (Dec-2005), was a resounding success as it approved a 10-year action plan for the overall development of OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) member countries and gave the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims a new hope about a bright future. Unlike the previous summits of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Makkah summit was well prepared and presented a future-looking agenda for the Muslim world. It also wanted a complete facelift of the organization in order to play an effective role on the world stage.


The 10-year action plan focuses on reforms and human rights and urges the member States to adopt a united stand on all issues at international forums. It has given the OIC secretary-general more powers and additional financial resources to carry out his mission.


The progressive action plan calls for greater political participation, equality, freedom and social justice for people in OIC countries, and it demands transparency and an end to corruption. The Summit authorised the Board of governors of the Islamic Development Bank to take necessary steps to increase the bank’s capital and strengthen the International Islamic Organization to finance Trade. The Board is also instructed to set up a special fund to fight poverty. Before the Summit, a group of leading intellectuals and scholars met in Makkah and presented a new vision for the Muslim world. They stressed the fact that the thoughts and energies of Muslims should be directed towards formulating answers rather than repeating questions. “The new vision presented by the scholars was designed to call upon the member States to radically reform their international organization with a totally new mandate,” said OIC Secretary-General, Ekmeled-din Ihsanoglu. The Makkah Summit and its main architect, Custodian o f the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, drew applause from Saudis as well as expatriates. It has presented a number of ambitious and forward-looking programs for the renaissance of the Islamic Ummah.

Radio Jeddah Launches Hajj Channel
Jeddah


Radio Jeddah has launched the seasonal Pilgrimage Enlightenment Radio (PER) to serve Hajj pilgrims and observers. The PER will be transmitting religious programmes in 14 languages during the Hajj season. Besides Arabic, the programmes will be in English, French, Persian, Turkish, Hausa, Indonesian, Urdu, Bengali, Pashtu, Turkistani, Somali, Swahili, and Bambara. The PER programmes are tailored to ensure the pilgrims’ proper orientation and enlightenment in topics related to the performance of pilgrimage. PER will broadcast live comprehensive coverage of Hajj, including traffic reports, movement of pilgrims, weather conditions, safety precautions, and interviews with experts, scholars and pilgrims.


Besides religious programmes, the PER will broadcast live coverage of the days of Tarwiyah, the stay at Arafat, the Eid prayer from the holy Mosque, and the three days of Tashreeq.