US embassy cable - 05AMMAN4991

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004991 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/S-O: PLEASE PASS TO SECRETARY'S PARTY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KISL, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN PREPARES FOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON 
"TRUE ISLAM" 
 
REF: AMMAN 01785 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.  (C) Jordan will host an international conference from 
July 4-6 to promote the Amman Message of moderate Islam. 
Tentatively entitled "True Islam and its Role in Contemporary 
Society," the organizing foundation has issued invitations to 
Muslim scholars, government officials, and religious figures 
from various branches of Islam.  To date approximately 150 
invitees have accepted, including members of the Iraqi Sunni 
community; Ayatollah Sistani and other Iraqi Shia leaders 
have been invited, but have so far not responded.  Organizers 
say the purpose of the conference is to show a united Islamic 
stance - including between Sunni and Shia - against terrorism 
and in favor of tolerance, while also endorsing principles 
aimed at stemming the proliferation of fatwas by Muslim 
extremists.  King Abdullah is hopeful this event could help 
undermine religious pretexts for sectarian violence in Iraq, 
but does not want publicity for this effort until he is 
confident that agreement of key Iraqi Shia and Sunni clerics 
is in hand.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
CONFERENCE PREPARATIONS ON TRACK 
-------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Following a preparatory meeting of Islamic clerics in 
Amman on February 23, Jordan's Al Al Bayt Foundation is 
gearing up to host an international conference of Muslim 
scholars, government officials (in their private capacity) 
and religious figures from July 4-6, under King Abdullah's 
patronage.  The aim is to endorse the principles of the Amman 
Message, which proclaims that the "true nature" of Islam is 
one of moderation and tolerance (reftel).  Acting PolCouns 
met with the lead conference organizers at Al Al Bayt -- 
Farouq al-Jarrah (Executive Director) and Ibrahim Shaboukh -- 
on June 21 to discuss ongoing preparations.  They reported 
that they earlier issued approximately 200 invitations to 
Muslim religious notables from "all eight major Islamic 
schools of thought" within both Sunni and Shia Islam.  To 
date, roughly 150 have agreed to attend, including prominent 
individuals such as the Secretary General of the Organization 
of the Islamic Conference and the grand mufti of Egypt. 
While invitations were sent to a few Muslim scholars from the 
United States (two, to be specific), Russia and European 
countries, Shaboukh said conference participants are being 
drawn primarily from Arab and Islamic-majority states. 
 
3.  (C) Both Jarrah and Shaboukh said they were encouraged by 
the positive response to the conference, particularly given 
"sensitivities" by some Egyptians and Saudis about a 
Jordanian foundation hosting the event.  They noted that 
religious figures from Iraq's Sunni community (including 
those resident in Jordan and the UAE) had accepted the 
invitations, and were hopeful that Ayatollah Sistani and/or 
other invited Iraqi Shia clerics would also attend, though 
they had yet to respond.  (NOTE: Jordanian National Security 
Adviser Saad Kheir is in touch with Sistani's advisers.  He 
and the King believe Sistani will endorse this effort, which 
could then become an important tool in defeating sectarian 
violence in Iraq. END NOTE.) 
 
------------------------------ 
MORE TOLERANCE AND LESS FATWAS 
------------------------------ 
 
4.  (C) Turning to the conference agenda, Shaboukh stated 
that the gathering was entitled "True Islam and its Role in 
Contemporary Society."  King Abdullah (patron of Al Al Bayt) 
is scheduled to open the conference with a formal address on 
July 4.  Shaboukh said he hoped the event would achieve two 
major goals:  demonstrate Islamic solidarity against violence 
and terrorism, and emphasize principles designed to curb the 
proliferation of fatwas by extremists.  With regard to the 
former, Shaboukh bemoaned the negative perception of Islam in 
the West and asserted that "real Muslims" would never condone 
acts of terrorism.  Presentations and sessions at the 
conference would accordingly emphasize that Islam is a faith 
of tolerance, moderation and dialogue, not violence.  Muslims 
worldwide are called to respect and obey the laws of the 
countries in which they live, he added, unless these laws are 
clearly contrary to established Islamic teaching.  Regarding 
fatwas, Shaboukh criticized the issuance of fatwas, 
particularly those that encourage violence, by "persons who 
have no basis in Islam for doing so."  He said that there are 
established Islamic principles about who may issue fatwas and 
under what circumstances, and that conference participants 
would highlight and endorse these principles to make clear 
the illegitimacy of fatwas issued by Muslim extremists. 
 
5.  (C) Jarrah said that the conference would conclude with 
the release of a formal communiqu, but that conference 
participants would have to hammer out the text after they 
gathered in Amman.  When asked if the communiqu's 
denouncement of terrorism might exclude "national liberation 
movements" or "resistance to foreign occupation," Jarrah was 
adamant that the conference "will not become politicized." 
He stressed that organizers would reject attempts by 
participants to use the conference to condemn U.S. foreign 
policy in the region. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
6.  (C) The Amman Message and the upcoming international 
conference are at the center of King Abdullah's determined 
effort to promote moderate Islam and to isolate Muslim 
extremists who try to justify their violent acts under the 
guise of religion.  Even if the conference does not achieve 
all of its organizers' aspirations, it is nevertheless a 
welcome development. 
HALE