Sayyed Fadlullah:We have to accomplish this mission of dialogue to present the civilized image of Islam and confrontation of the anti-Islamic discrimination; whoever backs away might be committing another crime against Islam that might not be less than the distortion crime committed by the others.

Asked in his weekly seminar the following question: How do you view the last position of the UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan, that rejects discrimination against Islam?

The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah, said:

It might naïve to consider September 11, 2001 as the date in which enmity against Islam began… We believe that hostility towards Islam was actually initiated by the conservative and colonial schools of thought whose hostility was evident long before 9/11. Furthermore, we have to point out to the long history of hostile actions, against Muslims in the colonial era and by means of indirect hegemony later on.

Yet the events of 9/11 which were used as a pretext to execute preset plans, contributed in the emergence of a new stage in the war against Islam, whether by abusing Muslims in the Western countries or the Media wars that targeted Islam as a religion, the Islamic concepts as a doctrine and the Islam as a way of life.

Such actions lead us to the only logical conclusion that the hostility towards Islam is part of pre-redesigned project that aims at providing a ready made enemy to the Westerners after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Thus, many of these practices enjoy the support of the governments they are committed in, or implicitly encouraged or not duly punished so as to suggest that they can be repeated. We have seen how religious, along with certain generals and other civilians, officials have attacked Islam and its prophet without any condemnation for such aggression or discouragement of stereotypes and prejudices against Islam … Meanwhile, the American President was issuing an executive memorandum ordering to follow up and document any action against Jews even if it were only criticism, to the extent that any objection to the brutal Israeli actions against the Palestinians is considered as anti-Semitic.

We call upon the Vatican that felt that the so-called war on terrorism has a negative effect on the Christians, to assume a strong position that joins the Muslims in their confrontation of the arrogant powers… We also like to express our appreciation of the call of the UN Secretary General to devise a strategy to confront anti-Islamic and discriminating actions.

It is a courageous stand being the only one issued by such an official of an international status, and because it indicates that the anti-Islamism actions in the West have reached an unprecedented level in its persecution and aggression, and demands consequently, an international response to protect the Muslim and his beliefs.

But, at the same time we call, along with the Secretary General, to uphold the law and take all the measures that would stop these crimes from going on, so that the issue will not remain in the sphere of verbal condemnation.

We warn against this on going effort to influence the Western citizens and brainwash their minds so that they will endorse the direct targeting of Arab and Muslim countries and resources.

They are doing so by concentrating on that the problem lies in Islam, and they ignore the fact that these crises are a direct result of the Western project and the Western and American support of the Israeli project… We want the Muslims to turn their backs to their sectarian setback and become aware of the magnitude of the war waged against them and against the very presence of Islam.

That is a dire need for an Arab and Islamic campaign on all political cultural and media fronts to support the Secretary General's initiative.

An all out effort should be embarked to present Islam to the entire world, focusing on its civilized image in the face of those who are trying to distort it both from the inside and the outside. We should also start an open and civilized dialogue especially with the West, since the problem might lie in the ignorance of the other or our own ignorance of the modern ways that are accepted by both the other and Islam.

We have to accomplish this mission and whoever backs away might be committing another crime against Islam that might not be less than the distortion crime committed by the others.