H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary-General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), which is headquartered at the Gate of the Two Holy Mosques, the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, represented and extended greetings of H.E. Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and of the Ummah’s scholars, members and experts of IIFA, expressing their deepest thanks and gratitude to H.E. Mr. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to his wise government, and his honorable people, for the warm welcome and hospitality since setting foot on the blessed land of Egypt. His Excellency also congratulated the distinguished scholar H.E. Sheikh Dr. Shawqi Allam, Grand Mufti of Egypt and thanked him for preparing and organizing this conference, where Muslim scholars convene to discuss ways of meeting the challenges of the third millennium.

In his speech at the conference’s opening session, entitled “The Fatwa and the Challenges of the Third Millennium”, and on behalf of H.E. Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the OIC, H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano pointed out that this conference is being held at a critical historical moment for the Ummah and the entire world, a moment when the Ummah and the free world are confronted with the worst human tragedy and the most horrific, brutal and appalling massacre known to mankind in this millennium, which has been committed by the Zionist establishment in the occupied Palestine. This criminal establishment spills blood without mercy, violates honour without shame, destroys infrastructure without limit, and such atrocities cannot be committed by any sane person, nor can the imagination believe in such heinous, barbaric and abhorrent bombings of hospitals, homes and mosques.

His Excellency pointed out that Israel continues, to this day, to wreak havoc in all parts of Palestine, using the most lethal and bloodthirsty weapons to kill children and women, and flagrantly violating all international resolutions and humanitarian conventions signed by international organizations, including, on their top, the UN Security Council. His Excellency added: “What is shameful, disgusting to the soul and repudiated by conscience is that, unfortunately, this genocide and brutal massacre are being committed in broad daylight and under the eyes of the international community, which has chosen to take the full side of the forces of aggression and tyranny, and which applies double standards and selectivity in the application of humanitarian law when confronted with Israel’s brutal practice”.

His Excellency clarified that the OIC, which was created following the criminal assault on Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969, has not hesitated and will not hesitate to defend the occupied Palestine until it regains its land and establishes its independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is why, His Excellency said, we reiterate our appeal to the whole world to act swiftly to put an end to the odious crimes committed by the occupying forces in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jerusalem and all the occupied Palestinian territories.

His Excellency also called on international organizations and institutions, as well as the free peoples of the world, to force Israel to cease its brutality against civilians, in order to prevent the shedding of blood and to preserve dignity and property. His Excellency added: The world had great hope that the third millennium would be a millennium of dialogue, tolerance and coexistence between the followers of religions, a millennium of integration, solidarity and cooperation between countries, peoples and nations, which would transform intellectual, social, cultural, economic and political challenges into opportunities to build, rebuild and advance human beings everywhere. Indeed, the hope was and is that this millennium will be one in which the whole world is united in the face of injustice, aggression and tyranny so that human beings everywhere can enjoy peace, security and safety, in the light of a responsible world system in which brotherhood and humanity will prevail, divine mercy will be sublime, equality will be dominant and human dignity will be widespread.

His Excellency concluded his speech by praying to Allah the Most High to be kind to our brothers and sisters in the occupied Palestine, to wipe out the injustice and aggression to which they have been subjected, to grant them victory, to welcome their martyrs into the gardens of bliss and to heal their wounded. Indeed, Allah is the Guardian and the Almighty.