Makkah Declaration (2019)
The Makkah Declaration (2019) also known as the Charter of Makkah, is a document that was endorsed on 28 May 2019 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Its creation was largely conceived and realized by the Muslim World League and it was presented by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. It was written to create a pan-Islamic set of principles that supported anti-extremism, religious and cultural diversity, and legislation against hate and violence. The document was declared at the end of the four-day conference organized by the Muslim World League conference in Makkah. It was  approved by Islamic leaders of 139 countries and signed by around 1,200 prominent Muslim figures. Background. In August 2016 Dr. Muhammad Al-Issa became Secretary General of the Muslim World League. Under Dr. Al-Issa’s direction, the MWL has been widely recognized as one of the leading organizations in Saudi Arabia dedicated to combating extremist ideology. As part of this mission, the MWL has worked to build relations with leaders from other faiths, and to build a consensus across the various denominations of Islam rejecting extremism, fundamentalism, and violence. At a conference organized by the MWL in December 2018 , a group of more than 1,000 religious scholars representing 128 countries called for a comprehensive plan to address sectarianism and extremism within Islam, and stressed the need to create effective channels of communication between the different schools of Islam. They resolved to establish a committee to draft a comprehensive charter addressing these issues – at the time referred to as the “Makkah document.” In April 2019, the MWL and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) signed a memorandum of understanding that committed the two organization to further Muslim-Jewish understanding and cooperate against racism and extremism. Dr. Al-Issa also accepted an  invitation to visit Auschwitz to commemorate the 75th anniversary of liberation of those imprisoned at the Nazi concentration camp. The following month the Muslim World League convened a four day conference in Mecca titled “The Values of Centrism and Moderation in the Quran and Sunnah” to debate and approve the Makkah document. This conference brought together more than 1,200 Muslim leaders, representing 139 countries and 27 Islamic sects, in an attempt to implement all-encompassing changes to Islam. At the end of this conference the attendees unanimously approved the Makkah Declaration, which has served as a reference point for MWL  operations ever since. Complete Text. The following is a translation of the original text of the Makkah Declaration prepared by the Muslim World League. On May 28, 2018, the “Charter of Makkah” was endorsed unanimously by an unprecedented group of the world’s leading Muslim scholars, who gathered in the Holy City for the promotion of moderate Islam. "The Charter of Makkah" offers Muslims around the world guidance on the principles that speak to the true meaning of Islam. The Charter of Makkah is orientated around the following principles: Blessing and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and  all companions. Reception. The Makkah Declaration has received endorsement religious leaders representing 27 different doctrines and sects of Islam. Many of the values in the Makkah Declaration are reflected in the recent reforms seen in Saudi Arabia, including the significant expansion of women’s rights, and a more conciliatory attitude towards Israel. Outside of the Islamic world the Declaration has received praise from western commentators and has been likened to Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. Analysis. The document called for combating the hate speech, violence, extremism and terrorism. It also appealed to fight injustice, oppression, and the violation of  human rights. Environmentalism. The Declaration alludes to contemporary environmental concerns at the global level. Notably: