As Secretary General of the Muslim World League, a Saudi-based organization that aims to promote moderation and interfaith dialogue, he spent years dedicated to what he calls “preventive peace"—the idea that the time to bridge divides is before the fighting starts.
A former Minister of Justice in the Saudi cabinet, he was appointed to lead the Muslim World League in 2016 as part of then-Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's push to position the kingdom as a champion of moderate Islam.
TIME spoke to Dr. Al-Issa about how the Iran War began, the role of religious leaders in solving conflict, and what it will take to bring the fighting to an end.
MA: We have reached this point because early warning signs were ignored and not addressed in time. Had United Nations mechanisms, backed by international support, intervened when they should have, the situation would never have escalated to this level.
Furthermore, we are in this position because certain influential countries have prioritized their own political interests over the stability of the region and the world. Because of this, I believe that without a collective international resolve, managing risks in general will remain incredibly complex.
Can the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Iran and the Gulf, be repaired when the war ends?
In reality, there is no inherent conflict or clash between Sunni and Shi’ite moderation; the facts on the ground prove this.
And everyone must know that we should not use religion to find justifications and of course, lie in the name of faith and be abusive towards it. We are responsible for preserving the truth of the faith and the diversity in sects in all faiths. It's not limited to Islam and Christianity and other faiths have it as well.
The Iranian leadership must know the interests of the Iranian people and the future generations of Iran. It's a responsibility that they shoulder. And everyone must know, Iran and others, that even if they emerge with a victory, it will come with a lot of hardship and tragedy.
Gulf countries were exposed to Iranian aggression and attacks and it's a very dangerous situation. It's completely barbaric. The Gulf countries are not involved in this war; despite that fact, they received thousands of missiles and drones, and any justification from the Iranians is false because they target civilian infrastructure and civilians.
Here in the U.S., we're witnessing a clash between the religious and the political when it comes to matters of war, specifically the Iran war. Was the Pope right to speak out against the war?
MA: It is only natural for the Pope to advocate for peace over war. We, along with all those who cherish peace, stand against conflict in our world. True religious leaders are peacemakers, not advocates for war. However, while we join the Pope in calling to spare the region the horrors of war, we also call for more robust diplomatic dialogue and the triumph of wisdom and logic.
We were encouraged by the return to diplomatic efforts in Islamabad, and as the second round begins, we remain hopeful for a resolution. This requires Iran to prioritize the well-being of its own people and protect the region from further escalation by immediately abandoning its nuclear program, which destabilizes the region and triggers a dangerous arms race. Simply put, we urge Iran to exercise political awareness rather than the ideological illusions it has used to threaten its neighbors and violate state sovereignty.
MA: The war in the region is not a religious war at all. Even the discourse that is put forward as a religious discourse, and though some understand that the war is religious, it is a discourse that does not represent faith. Not all extremists who put themselves forward as religious leaders are truly representative of the faith. They must understand this does not represent true faith.
If you could speak to them directly to the leaders of Iran and the U.S., what would you say?
MA: I'll say to the Iranian leadership, the interest of the Iranian people should be above everything else, above the ideology, above any religious interpretation. That goes against the faith. And it even goes against the logic of Shi’ite facts, which we hear from our Shi’ite friends when they visit us and when we talk to them. And we say that you are at a transformative point, at a crossroads, and the chance is there to be decisive, but it needs wisdom for you to achieve it.
You've been working in this field for a long time, building relationships between different faiths. Do you think things have gotten better during that time?
MA: They have improved tremendously. There are meetings between religious leaders. There is cooperation and solidarity. There is a tangible impact from all that. And the role of religious leaders is very important.
That's why it's very important that religious leaders should have a big contribution in finding resolutions to the conflicts through practical initiatives. We have been working for the last 10 years on preventive peace.
Hence then, the article about a muslim faith leader on the failures that led to the iran war and what comes next was published today ( ) and is available on Time ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( A Muslim Faith Leader on the Failures That Led to the Iran War, and What Comes Next )
Also on site :