Egypt Mufti Urges Muslim Unity.

The Grand Mufti of Egypt Shaikh Ali Jum'a has called on Muslims to stand firm and united in protecting Islam against all challenges. Jum'a was on Sept. 30 quoted as telling a gathering of 300: "The Muslim world is facing many critical confrontations, and the only means to preserve our unity is to keep united and follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad". Unity is an essential factor in tackling the dangers and problems facing Muslims, he said.

Shaikh Jum'a was conducting the sixth lecture, titled "Unity of the Muslim Nation", of the Dubai International Holy Qur'an Award's (DIHQA) 10th session at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sept. 28. He said: "The Arab countries should be united more and have one currency, economy and education...". He said the US was "one big and consolidated country" which conquered and ruled the world, noting: "It has one main highway that unites the 50 states. The Arab countries should build a similar international highway which links them altogether".

Jum'a called on Sunnis and Shi'ites to co-operate more "because it is an excellent means to preserve the Muslim world's unity which is in power when Muslims are united but when they are disunited, then it becomes weak". He warned that Islam's enemies wanted to drain the religion of its content and meaning. He said: "Muslims should forget their misunderstandings. If they co-operate, read and abide by the Qur'an and follow the Prophet's path, the Ummah (nation) will remain united under God's will". He called on Muslims to pray, read and learn the Qur'an and sciences, and be modest and benevolent, saying: "God united the nation by ordering us to pray to one God and one kiblah [Makkah, the direction in which Muslims pray], read one book [the Qur'an], follow the last and one Prophet [Mohammad] and fast one month [Ramadan]".

Commenting on the issue of newspaper cartoons which ridiculed the Prophet, he said: "Muslims believe and respect all other prophets and it is unlike a Muslim to swear back against or malign other prophets, even if non-Muslims do that".