To the ladies and gentlemen representing various religions and cultures in the “Civilizations Debate” conference in our beloved country Bahrain; welcome, we wish you a pleasant stay in your second country Bahrain, among your peaceful and forbearing brothers and sisters in Bahrain.
The holy Quran says: {Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly}, (Al-Mumttahanah,8). In another verse it says: {And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds}, (Al-Anbiya 107).
In Surat Al- Nahil, verse 90 Allah says in his holy book: {Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded} and in verse 125 He says: {Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided}. In Surat Al-Hujurat Allah says: {O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes so you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted}.
These are the norms of Islam in dealing with all peaceful people who do not take war and violence a method of life. Islam is the religion of justice to all, mercy and good treatment and dialogue and coexistence.
From these norms, we welcome you all and fully support the principle of dialogue between religions and cultures to achieve peaceful coexistence and combat hatred and discrimination and persecution on religious grounds.
In Bahrain, Muslims; Sunnis and Shiites, Christians, Jews, Buddhist and people from other religions, live in peace and harmony. However, the political authority in Bahrain adopts a differing attitude. In effort to maintain the corrupt and oppressive political and rights situation and the control over power and national wealth, the authority has used various methods of repression and persecution against the peaceful opposition.
The authority has gone as far as using religion, belief and holy places to pressurize and repress the citizens of the Shiite sect, given that they make the wider base of the opposition supporters.
The authority has demolished Shia mosques and vandalized ancient holy Shia places. Shia clerics and spiritual leaders were exiled or arrested. The Shia clerics council, which makes the largest religious establishment for the Shiites in Bahrain, was forcefully dissolved. Let alone, the long practiced discrimination against Shia citizens in jobs and other citizenship rights.
Organizing a conference on civilization and culture debate is good and important, however, it must follow a real internal dialogue that establishes for real understandings that satisfy the people. Such an event is ought to be an advanced step that follows a series of steps that entrench love and harmony between people of different beliefs, and respect to holy places and religious freedom. On ground, this event comes after a series of violations of religious freedom and that have been documented by international and national rights reports such as the Bassiouni report which the authority accepted.
Thus, this event is considered to lack credibility and is classified under the Public Relations campaigns to white-wash the image of the oppressive regime. We therefore, hope that the clerics and intellectual personalities participating in the conference will not give fake credit to such a sham event. We call on them to speak-out for the truth and support the people’s legitimate and just rights, regardless of their religion and beliefs.
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