UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002169
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR DRL/IRF, NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL, PREL, KPAO, PHUM, AE
SUBJECT: UAE RELIGIOUS ADVISOR DEFENDS ISLAM AND CALLS FOR
RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
REF: ABU DHABI 2127
1. (U) On May 23, Sheikh Sayyed Ali al-Hashimi, the Judicial
and Religious Affairs Advisor to UAE Presidential Court, paid
a courtesy call on the Ambassador following attendance at a
reception hosted by al-Hashimi the previous night in honor of
a delegation from the Washington-based Council on American
Islamic Relations (CAIR).
2. (SBU) Al-Hashimi spoke about the tolerant nature of Islam
as a religion, and the explicit call for tolerance and
cooperation in the Qu'ran. He explained that although Islam
originated in the Arab world, and that the majority of Arab
Muslims are a tolerant people, as Islam spread throughout the
non-Arab world the cultures of many other countries were
superimposed on Islam. As a result, today there are many
non-Qu'ranic religious practices including fundamentalist
extremism which profess to be part of Islam, but which stem
from cultural practices and the mixture of foreign
philosophies with Islam, or (in the case of Islamic
Extremism) arise from personal reasons and political
dissatisfaction.
3. (SBU) Al-Hashimi stated that religious leaders should not
overly concentrate on these foreign philosophies and
practices, noting that the purpose of the Prophet Mohammed's
messages has always been to help develop and improve
individual human beings. He emphasized that Islam teaches us
to focus on the development of the individual and his/her
humanity, stating that the "best of God's children are those
that are kind to their brothers."
4. (SBU) Al-Hashimi stated that while Islam as a religion
does not have anything against Judaism, recognizing it as an
inspired "religion of the book," Muslims throughout the world
have come to associate Judaism and Jews with the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suffering among the Arab,
principally Muslim, population. As a result, religious
tolerance has declined in the region because political
problems have become mingled with religious identities.
Al-Hashimi called on President Bush to reactivate the Middle
East Roadmap and to moderate the issues between the two
opposed parties, explicitly endorsing a two-state solution.
5. (SBU) Responding to an invitation from the Ambassador,
al-Hashimi welcomed the opportunity to make a visit to the
United States, stating that it would be possible for him to
do so at any convenient time, even during Ramadan. He asked
the Embassy's assistance and cooperation in arranging such a
visit. Note: The Embassy will follow-up in the coming months
with NEA/PD and the desk to program a visit for Sheikh Ali
al-Hashimi, perhaps a VOLVIS program in conjunction with a
visit sponsored by CAIR. End Note.
SISON