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At the end of the third International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) in Jakarta last month, the scholars said an Ulema organisation will seek to eradicate poverty and illiteracy in the Muslim world.

Helping eradicate illiteracy, poverty and promote justice, Muslim scholars are planning a body of ulema to tackle conflicts in the Muslim world and promote global peace. "We decide to establish Ulama sans Frontieres (ulema without borders)," said a statement issued by more than 300 Muslim scholars from around the world.

At the end of the third International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) in Jakarta last month, the scholars said the nascent body will seek to eradicate poverty and illiteracy in the Muslim world. It also aims to provide balanced and objective media coverage of developments in the Muslim world.
The new body will have offices in East Asia, the Pacific, south and central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, America and Europe.

The scholars said they would work together to provide better protection of children, women and those with special needs and empower Muslim youth and women. These ulema will "play a more active role in waging a campaign of compassion and comprehension," said the statement.
The scholars came together in Jakarta for the three-day ICIS, organised by Nahdatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation, and the foreign ministry, to discuss conflicts in the Muslim world.

"With compassion and dedication to peace and social justice, the ulema will bring the message of peace to the Muslim world," said Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda. He hoped the new body would formulate measures to overcome political, economic and social barriers to promote global peace and development. NU chairman, Hasyim Muzadi said the new body is meant to promote peace around the globe.

"We have yet to build a culture of peace and dialogue that may overcome the trend of aggression and ignorance that pervades the Muslim world and the rest of humankind." "But I am confident if we work in concert, we can uncover an effective and durable solution to these problems."
Muslims account for more than 20 percent of the world's population, supplying 70 percent of the world's energy and 40 percent of the raw materials used by global industries for consumer products.

A famed pharmacy chain in Britain will offer a special medical service for Muslims during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, to help patients observe the dawn to dusk fasting without endangering their health.

"We know that during Ramadan many patients change the times they take their medicines, or even the number of doses they take each day, without first seeking medical advice," says Adrian Price, Professional Practice Manager of the Co-operative Pharmacy chain. "Spending a few minutes discussing their plans with a pharmacist can identify potential problems and discuss possible solutions."

The Co-operative Pharmacy, the third largest pharmacy chain in the UK with over 800 branches, is offering free check ups for Muslim customers during Ramadan.

"We encourage all our regular customers to have a medicine check, but with Ramadan approaching they are particularly useful for people intending to fast."

The chain has trained pharmacists at 40 branches in areas with large populations of Muslims. They will guide Muslims on how to fast without undermining the effectiveness of drugs and on the dangers of changing the times of prescribed medications without consultation. "For example, longer-acting slow-release alternative drugs may be available," explained Price. "We're not making assumptions about how Muslim patients might act, but we strongly recommend they talk to their pha-rmacist," he says.

The High-Street phar-macy chain has already published ads to introduce the new service on its website in English, Urdu and Bengla.

Britain is home to a sizable, multi-ethnic Muslim minority of nearly 2 million, mainly from Pakistani, Bengali and Indian backgrounds. Price insists the Ramadan service aims at showing understanding to the religious needs of the Muslim customers.