Democratic Islam: Hate speech, sectarian incitement threaten civil peace

To promote national dialogue and build the future of Syria, the Democratic Islam Conference held a large meeting on Sunday for imams and preachers in Jazira region, under the slogan, "Following in the footsteps of the Prophet, peace be upon him, in building Medina towards construction and human fraternity." The meeting took place at the Mohamed Sheikho Center for Culture and Art in Qamishlo, with the participation of preachers, imams, and representatives of civil society, political organizations, and the Autonomous Administration.

The meeting began with holding a minute of silence, followed by a speech delivered by Mulla Suleiman al-Ali, the co-chair of the Democratic Islam Conference Council in Qamishlo. He noted that Syria is going through difficult times and that the conference seeks to build a decentralized, democratic state based on justice and equality.

He made clear that the meeting came after more than six months of dialogue with various segments of society, with the aim of formulating a comprehensive vision for the future and strengthening the role of imams and preachers in spreading the values of co-existence and community participation.

For his part, Aldar Khalil, the member of the co-presidency of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), addressed the political situation in Syria, noting that the fall of the regime created widespread hopes for the beginning of a new phase, after more than sixty years of tyranny. However, these hopes were thwarted by policies of exclusion and lack of national partnership, resulting in chaos and sectarian and religious divisions.

He emphasized the importance of dialogues and initiatives, such as the March 10th Agreement, stressing the need for mutual commitment to their implementation in a way that ensures concrete steps toward stability.

For his part, Mullah Mohamed Rashid al-Gharzani, the co-chair of the Democratic Islam Conference in Qamishlo, explained that Islam, in its essence, is a message of liberation, justice, and equality, and that the hate speech and sectarian incitement sometimes emanating from certain religious figures threaten civil peace.

He called on religious leaders to bear their moral and religious responsibilities in guiding society toward peace and co-existence, drawing inspiration from the Charter of Medina as a model for co-existence and equal citizenship.

Avin al-Hajji, the co-chair of the Women's Council at the conference, also warned of the escalating violations and discrimination against women in Syria. She called for protecting women's rights, strengthening their role in society, and ensuring their full participation in all fields, in accordance with the principles of the democratic nation.

In the context of strengthening national partnership, the speakers called for the inclusion of all religious and ethnic groups in dialogue and participation, including Christians, Armenians, Druze, and Alawites to affirm that the future of Syria is built through the unity of all its citizens, and that diversity is a source of strength, not conflict.

The meeting concluded with a series of discussions and proposals that emphasized the importance of unity and participation in building a democratic Syria, confronting hate speech, and strengthening the role of civil and religious institutions in promoting the values of justice and citizenship.

J.J

ANHA