OIC ministers seek new media strategy to improve image of Islam
2009-02-02
OIC ministers of information met in Rabat to discuss improving the image of Islam in the media. The Rabat Declaration called on the media in OIC member states to express the true concerns of citizens in Muslim countries.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 02/02/09
 [Sarah Touahri] Ministers of information from the Islamic world met in Rabat to discuss ways to boost image of Islam in the media. |
The eighth session of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference's ministers of information meeting, held January 25th-28th in Rabat, underlined the need for the Muslim world to liberalise its media and to encourage intercultural dialogue.
The ministers agreed to develop a new media strategy to better address the international community. A pilot ministerial committee will devise the programme in the languages best understood by the international community, so as to address the "incomplete picture" given of Islam and ensure that its "noble message" is heard. Senior officials created a special fund to which member states, institutions, and private individuals can contribute.
The Rabat Declaration said the media in OIC member states needs to express the true concerns of citizens in Muslim countries. Also underlined was the need for appropriate dialogue and communication to improve foreign media's portrayal of Islam and highlight its values of tolerance, its rich cultural heritage, and its secular civilisation.
In a message to the delegates, King Mohammed VI called on information ministers to engage in "renewed and objective media dialogue… by using modern communication methods and drawing up effective plans making it possible to make the voice of the Muslim world heard, explain its point of view and advance its righteous causes."
The king stressed that the Muslim world must encourage dialogue between cultures and civilisations in support of humanity's ideals and objectives.
Moroccan Communication Minister and government spokesman Khalid Naciri said that the media must abandon its stance of merely "protesting against views that are hostile towards us."
Naciri added that communication must "draw strength from its positive nature in conveying a well thought-out media message based on its ability to ask itself questions and also its mission of reaching out to others persuasively… Islam is a religion of openness and brotherliness, and our media must emphasise this and put over the true and bright picture of who we really are."
OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that any information policy must take account of the strategic potential of modern information tools. He added that these tools must play a decisive role in portraying an accurate and positive image of the Muslim world, dispelling the misconceptions that have sullied its name, and defending its noble principles and ideals.
"Following certain acts of terrorism perpetrated by a handful of individuals who claim to be acting in the name of Islam, some people within the media have shown a tendency to misuse the word 'Islam'," Ihsanoglu stated.
"We want to underline once again that Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, altruism and compassion, the fact that it regards human life as sacred and condemns all criminal acts, and that those who commit such crimes face the strictest punishment provided for by Islamic law."
Moroccan law student Mohamed Bahanis noted, "We've got to be able to explain that extremism exists everywhere and within all religions, not just Islam."
Moroccan civil servant Afaf Berrada believes it is the Western media who must make an effort to understand the Muslim world and avoid conveying subjective messages about it. "It's not our job to open up, because we've already done that. It's the West that must open itself up and view Islam objectively."
The next OIC meeting of information ministers is due to take place in Gabon in 2011.
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Voice Posted 2009-02-02
Muslims should realize that " verily Allah will not change a condition of a people unless they change themselves".
Lihidheb mohsen Posted 2009-02-03
As much as religious extremism has harmed Islam, it has also served as a pretext for this thousand-year old Islamophobia on the part of the sceptical West, hostile Zionists and exaggerated Americanism. The essence of Islam, clearly visible in the countries of the Maghreb, is a message of peace, wisdom and compassion.
Abdul Posted 2009-02-03
Instead of pressuring the media to become public relations agents for Islam, wouldn't it be easier to improve Islam's image by crushing all of those Islamic terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, the ayatollahs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sheik Qaradawi and all the other extremist imams who are giving Islam such a bad name?
Chnigri Ayyad Posted 2009-02-06
In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful. Peace be upon the followers of the right path. First of all, Islam is in no need of someone to defend it in its essence because it is the religion of God and God is capable of protecting His religions which He approved for His subjects. The problem is with Muslims or those who pretend to be Muslim. There is a story told about someone whose conscience woke up after exerting efforts to search about a religion to adopt as a style of life after clearing his conscience and willingness to be faithful to his creature. So he chose Islam and studied it from all its sides and pillars including the Book and Sunna. He found it to be the ideal religion, and it is so. So he went to a Muslim state to practise his religious duties among his Muslim brothers. The summary as he put it “if this is Islam, referring to the Book and Sunna, these aren’t Muslims. If these were Muslims, this is not Islam”. Therefore, the behaviour of Muslims is their mirror as God says “surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector”.
عبد الكريم Posted 2009-02-06
“A grievous word it is that comes out of their mouths; they speak nothing but a lie”. Before gathering for this meeting, they should be open to their oppressed people and implement true Islam in their base positive laws. God is the greatest. Pride is for Islam and patient mujahids in the era of renegade tyrants.
Harry Ford (United Kingdom) Posted 2009-02-06
Amen to that,Abdul.
Omar b Posted 2009-02-06
Islam does not have a bad image, only the non believers have issues with Islam, and you know what, i think any one who thinks Islam has a bad image can go to hell, its the christians and jews that murder Muslims by the thousands they have the bad image, doesn't a Muslim opinion count. From morocco
Khalil Wasfi ALHajdarwish Posted 2009-02-09
SALAM ..the Islamic World should continue day by night ..[la marche ]..we are participating the world to find reasonable solutions for the critical problems such as ; Global Warming , fighting poverty , IT Education for the third world countries ,International peace , good bye .Amman - Jordan
jamel Posted 2009-03-28
I see that a lot of people still have not understood that we are in a war – Muslims versus the West, the Jews and the Christian. Look at Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. They colonise us. They steal our wealth. They want us to become secularists and democrats. They want us to think like them. And, the worst part of all of this is that they have all of our kings and presidents under their thumbs.
BMFA Posted 2009-05-06
“Improve the image of Islam?” –Very good, it really needs this. We must not hide behind our finger pointing; almost all the Muslim countries are warring against each other. Algeria is against Morocco and Tunisia; Tunisia is against Libya; Libya is against everyone; Syria is against Lebanon; Iraq is against Kuwait; the United Arab Emirates is against… and so on and so on. This is the bitter truth. What is the solution? We must start by forcing the rulers to reconcile with another, pushing them to respect their neighbours and their neighbours’ sovereignty and create large conglomerates like the Arab Maghreb Union, and, as such, making them think about granting priority to a union of Muslim people and so on. There must be a union of the peoples of the Maghreb, or we must denounce or even chase away the leaders opposed to this in defense of their own personal interests. For example, there is the Algerian generals and false problem of the Sahara, which in fact suits some crooked leaders and arms dealers quite well. Okay, the debate is now open!
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