JAKARTA (Finalcall.com)�Muslim leaders, scholars and representatives from around the world gathered here recently in the capital city of Indonesia and called for the immediate cessation of the mischievous attacks and malicious linkage of Islam by the avowed antagonists of Islam in the media to the horrendous terrorist Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

All participants at the two-day summit concurred that justice for Muslims and all the world�s oppressed peoples is the primordial factor in eliminating terrorism, which is not the monopoly of any ethnicity or religion.

The deliberations of the summit, under the theme, "Islam and A Future World of Peace," proceeded along the lines of religion and spirituality, civic responsibility in political society as well as inter-religious and international relations. Other burning issues addressed during respective group sessions covered human rights, poverty, education, morality, inter-faith and inter-cultural priorities and concerns.

The Summit, attended by approximately 160 participants from 50 nations, was sponsored by the Inter-Religious and International Federation for World Peace under the guidance of its founder, His Spiritual Highness Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

Presenters at the plenary sessions included former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan (via video), both conference conveners. Other presenters were Nation of Islam International Representative Minister Akbar Muhammad; Grand Imam Hassan Cisse, president of the African-American Islamic Institute; Rev. Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak, chairman of Inter Religious International Federation for World Peace and Unification; Sayyed Muhammad Musavi, president of World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League, U.K.; Sheik A. Tijani Ben Omar of the Universal Islamic Center U.S.A.; Professor Mumtaz Ahmed of India; H.E. Hadi Nejad Hosseiman, Ambassador of Iran to the UN; Professor Mustansir Mir of Youngstown State University U.S.A.; Professor Nagasura Madale of Mindanao State University from the Philippines; and Dr. Alwi Shihab, chairman, Nation Awakening Party of Indonesia.

"Islam is on trial throughout the World," declared Min. Farrakhan, whose remarks were delivered via videotape because health concerns prevented him from traveling overseas. Min. Farrakhan is still healing from traumatic surgery to correct problems caused by treatment for prostate cancer.

Min. Farrakhan reminded the leaders that Allah (God) described the Muslim ummah (community) as the best nation raised among mankind with the responsibility to enjoin upon others good deeds, forbid evil acts and believe in The One God. However, he added, there would have been no need to expect the coming of Mahdi as foretold by Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had the Muslims stayed on the Straight Path of God.

Unnecessary divisions, enmity, envy and petty jealously has brought Muslims to a position where they are trodden under the feet of the nations of the world, Min. Farrakhan said, adding that even though many Muslims are hastening back to the path of the Prophet, the over-zealous Muslims are doing it in such an extreme way that makes the Prophet�s way seem oppressive.

"We know that many have deviated from the Path of God, and He says in the Qur�an that among the leaders, they would put the Qur�an behind their backs, and as a result of this, many of today�s leaders do not lead from the basis of the Qur�an, though they say they are Muslims and, indeed in their hearts, they may very well be, but they are using the philosophies and ideologies of the world to lead and guide their nations into modernity, or to make a modern representation of what is Islam," the Minister said. (See page 20 for complete text of Min. Farrakhan�s message.)

Muslims are witnessing now the destruction of Muslim nations, the national representative of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad, told the audience. He expressed belief that President Bush and those with him desire to take the war against terrorism to Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, North Korea and to Cuba.

Min. Farrakhan said he offered his view to President Bush that there is no one Muslim leader that can call for Jihad or Holy War, since the Khalieefa (Supreme Ruler or Successor) has been destroyed by corrupt Muslims and the machinations of the Europeans.

Minister Farrakhan regretted that "all of our nations have national agendas and we have become more nationalistic than we are in the universal spirit of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)."

"Islam is the natural religion of the human being, and it evolves with us. We do not have to look at another book to make our nations modern. All that we need is a better and more fitting and proper understanding of the book that God has placed in our hands through Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that was to last us up until the judgment of the World," he said.

In his attempt to counter the misconceptions of Islam by the Judeo-Christological paradigm of the Western world, the former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid said he hoped the summit would provide the West with proper understanding of Islam to change their erroneous views about the religion that had persisted after the Sept. 11 tragedy.

Islam is against violence or terrorism, Dr. Wahid said, adding that any sense of resistance or anarchy carried out by certain Muslim groups could only be a reaction against inequitable conditions, which the authorities had failed to handle properly.

Gus Dur, as Dr. Wahid is popularly called, said Muslims are just like other communities anywhere in the world, and radicalism or extremism can be found anywhere. "I condemn the September 11 attacks, but I also condemn the U.S. strikes on Afghanistan," he declared.

Dr. Wahid indicated that the so-called terrorism perpetrated by different people from different religions and nations is a response to something, and for the Muslims it�s a kind of response to the challenges facing Islam.

He said that most important is the challenge of modernization in the form of Westernization. The response to the challenge should be answered through education and the development of values within the Islamic peoples and filling up the gaps between the different regents of Islam.

The former president expressed regret over the fear and inability of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from South East Asia, including Indonesia, to pursue whatever are their main objectives or ideals. But even worst still, he added, is the lack of independence of Islamic communities to choose their own Imam Khatib (imam who delivers Friday sermons) without the influence of the ruling powers in some places. Yet, in the Middle East the governments take everything and the traditions of NGOs become nearly non-existent.

Dr. Wahid said it was the Imam Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini of Iran who began to challenge this socio-political imbalance during the time of the Shah of Iran and succeeded in building up a new tradition of ulamas (scholars). But the problem now, he explained, is that the new tradition is limited only to the ulamas and not yet to the various NGOs and expressed the hope to see the development further in Iran.

He said it is good to have physical institutions such as an Islamic party or Islamic state, but it is even better to combine the non-physical institutions like the knowledge of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), Tassawwuf (spiritual knowledge) and so forth, if Muslims have to re-educate themselves for the freedom and upliftment of the ordinary man.

Rev. Taj Hamad, a long time adherent and devotee of the Unification Church who chaired the Planning Committee, set a contentious tone for the opening Plenary session when he charged that the act of terrorism is in some way a hallmark of Islam and Muslim World.

Many in America and other Western nations, according to Rev. Hamad, began to wonder about the religion of the young men who killed themselves in what seems like inexplicable suicide and suicidal murders committed by the attackers on New York and Washington.

Rev. Taj Hamad absolved the incongruous elements of Western terrorism manifest in the eyes and minds of the people around the world from any culpability for the worst acts of terror against humanity. Therefore,Rev. Taj Hamad believes that any legitimate acts of resistance and struggle by Muslims against powers of both internal and external oppression and against evil occupation must be stifled under the cloak of crushing terrorism.

In the view of Rev. Taj Hamad, what Americans and other Western nations have learnt about the World of Islam from the Middle East, Africa to Central Asia and Indonesia is nothing but "a World driven by conflicts."

Min. Akbar Muhammad of the Nation of Islam indicated there could never be peace unless the implementation of true justice for and by Muslims becomes the most important factor in the war against terrorism.

Moreover, the West should stop being wary of Muslims in the wake of the attack and develop stronger mutual trust, which is very crucial between Muslims and Western skeptics in the promotion of lasting peace for now and for the future.

"We must know our roots and history, we must know what transpired in order to understand what is going on and then make an intelligent projection of what the future entails," he said.

Referring to the conference theme, Min. Akbar said all Muslims must concern themselves with the future. Your piety, sacrifices, prayer and trying to live a Muslim life is concern with the future, hoping that Allah will bless your deeds, he said.

Min. Akbar expressed displeasure over the unnecessary subjection of Muslims and people of color, particularly "Arab brothers and sisters," to religious and racial profiling as well as mental degradation at the airports in America.

"I know the pain of that, being a Black man in America. I know what it is to be terrorized ... and to see the face of evil when they lynched Black men and women and white America stood around and smiled. � We know what it is to have our houses burned out, churches where we worshipped bombed, innocent men, women and children killed," he said.

Min. Akbar appealed to all Muslims not to become servile, anachronistic elites, but be principled and courageous enough to stand up in the struggle for justice and peace.

Speaking on behalf of the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace and its founder Right Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak declared that, "Father Moon shares a burning desire that the Muslim World unite around clarion message of peace reflecting the true beauty of Allah (God), His Beneficence and Mercy."

Rev. Dr. Kwak, who declared himself a Muslim by virtue of its meaning of peace and surrender to God, remarked that in the granite conviction of Father Moon there is no such things as someone from "another religion." There is only One God and God loves all people, desires one world under Him (God), he said.

"Let every eye see and every ear hear how the leaders of Islam love peace," said Rev. Kwak, while paying tribute to Pres. Wahid and Min. Farrakhan. He also commended the exemplary response of the Muslim leaders to the Will of God.

He observed that in spite of the most busy time of the year right after fasting, the great Muslim leaders, with short notice, hastened from every corner of the world to devote themselves to the call of peace.

According to Rev. Kwak, Father Moon believes that the deepest essence of all religious life is to live for the sake of others because at the time of creation, Allah (God) poured Himself out completely, holding nothing back. He added that even after the rebellion of His most beloved creation (Man), Allah (God) continues to give everything without a thought of Self and so we should imitate God for it is the way each person can become Godly.

Cherishing the moments of love, friendship and guiding light he enjoyed from world renowned Muslim leaders such as the Grand Mufti Ahmed Kuftaro of Syria, Prof. Zaki Badawi of England, the late Yemeni Grand Mufti Zabara and many others, Rev. Dr. Kwak said the initiatives taken by Father Moon in sponsoring such religious forums for "deep friendship among Unificationists and Muslims is no recent thing."

He explained that the Unificationists through the Council for the World�s Religions (CWR), the Inter-religious Federation for World Peace (IRFWP) and most recently the IIFWP have had many occasions of working together to show the world Islam�s wisdom and beauty.

Rev. Dr. Kwak appealed to the Summit participants that as men and women of spiritual maturity, they will be able to take up differences and difficult matters with dignity and elegance which he believes is a wonderful tribute to the power of the Prophet Muhammad�s (PBUH) example and the teaching of the Holy Qur�an. He, therefore, prayed that their conclusions would reflect Islamic charity and love for all people and all nations.