DAR AL HARB / ISLAM: THE UMMAH IS NOT READY TO SPEAK TO THE WEST

ISLAM: MUSLIMS NOT READY FOR FOR DIALOGUE WITH WEST SAYS SHARJAH'S RULER

Paris, 28 March - Dialogue between Islam and the West is not yet possible as Muslims are currently unable to overcome their own differences, according to the emirate of Sharjah's ruler, Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi. "The problem is between us - our actions all militate against dialogue," he al-told Adnkronos International. Al-Qasimi was in the French capital, Paris to attend International Theatre Day at UNESCO's headquarters on Tuesday.

"We need to improve our own internal relations before reaching out to the rest of the world," al-Qasimi said.

"A storm of doubts and suspicions is raging in Muslim countries that is preventing us from seeing clearly or hearing ourselves above the howling and across the chasms that separate us," al-Qasimi said.

"We need to tackle those who are stirring up this storm and concentrate our energies on building loving relations with those who are calling for fraternity between peoples," he continued.

According to the Sultan, the way out of the quagmire is education. "We need to devise a new education system - a new way of teaching, of acquiring knowledge, and guaranteeing individual rights," he said.

"It is only in this way that we will not violate other people's rights," al-Qasimi underlined.
A transformation is occurring in the Arab world, and cultural dialogue is already possible, he said. "Sharjah is cooperating with France and with Germany in the arts and sciences, al-Qasimi said. "We meet constantly, and many of our theatre companies go on tour in European cities," he stated.

"Humankind is frail but as long as there's life there will be the theatre," the Sultan concluded.


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