In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our master Muhammad, the seal of prophets, on his family, and all his companions

Resolution No. 236 (7/24)

On

The Role of Religious Education in Promoting Peace

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, held its twenty-fourth session in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), on 7-9 Rabi’ al-Awal 1440, corresponding to 4-6 November 2019,

Having reviewed the research papers submitted to the Academy on the subject of The Role of Religious Education in Promoting Peace.

Having reviewed the recommendations of the international scientific symposium on The Role of Religious Education in Promoting Peace, in Rabat (Kingdom of Morocco), on 17-18 Sha’aban 1440, corresponding to 23-24 April 2019, with the cooperation of the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

Having listened to the discussions on this subject,

Resolves the following

1. Drawing attention to the Holy Qur’an, the book of guidance, sent by Allah, The All-Wise and the All-Knowing, and to the Noble Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (May the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) and strengthen drawing from the educational methods found in the Holy Qur’an and the Noble Sunnah.
2. Continue holding regional and sub-regional conferences, seminars and meetings within the Muslim world and beyond, on strengthening the role of religious education and learning. Also, organizing international dialogue forums, with the participation of a well-selected elite of intellectuals and experts to present Islamic teachings on moderation and temperance.
3. Invite OIC Member states to establish special commissions to conduct detailed scientific studies on religious education programs in their respective countries, and include in these programs Islamic values and teachings ​​on peace, dialogue and coexistence.
4. Invite competent educational authorities of OIC Member states to include in their school curricula religious teachings on peace
5. Emphasize, in religious education programs, that Allah the All-High has honoured the human being; and as as a human being, he/she has the right to a decent life, education, good health and other life essentials.
6. Highlight skills and concepts that promote religious values, patriotism, and positive community attitudes; and exploit these in religious education, learning, and preaching programs.
7. Spread advanced educational programs teaching the Arabic language to non-Arabic speakers, in order to improve their knowledge of Islam, its culture and values.
8. Broader propagation of educational programs using modern communication devices to rectify the common negative perceptions of Islam and Muslims.
9. Stress the importance of partnership and cooperation between religious scholars and experts in education and education sciences, to elaborate religious education programs, based on an educational approach that elevates religious values ​​and reinforces them into the youth behaviour.
10. Coordination and cooperation between media, educational, preaching, dawah, and youth institutions, to reinforce and promote religious and cultural identity, and to consolidate national identity and respect of others’ opinion.
11. Develop training methods for religious guides and civil servants in religious affairs.
12. Scientific and pedagogical training of religious education teachers in the Member states, and their continuous qualification through in-service training.
13. Develop educational methods and resources adapted to the multimedia generation, strengthen the values ​​of dialogue and debate, and expand using educational activities method which teaches systematic thinking and constructs personal dialoguing attitude with others.
14. Prepare and publish foundational studies and research on strengthening education based on moderation and temperance, and translate them into living languages.
15. Establish research centres in charge of guiding and counselling Muslims, confronting fanaticism, takfirism, atheism, and refuting their opinions and arguments, based on the teachings of Shariah.
16. Hold international symposiums and conferences on the use of social networks in promoting the values ​​of peace, temperance and moderation.
17. Promote the culture of peace and develop skills, values ​​and attitudes in religious education programs, which strengthen social interaction and cohesion.
18. Stress the importance of teaching al-fiqh al-muqarin (comparative jurisprudence) and comparative religion at Member states universities, following methodologies inspired by the flexibility of Shariah, its values of divergence and diversity, its role in pluralism, broader understanding and acceptance of others, and making flexible judgments.
19. Emphasize the importance of religious education and development of its education methodologies.
20. Highlight authentic Islamic concepts regarding women and include them within religious education programs.

Allah Knows Best