KUALA LUMPUR – Hosting a summit of Muslim leaders, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad bemoaned the state of Islam and defended the meeting that has been shunned by Saudi Arabia and criticized for undermining the bigger Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Around 20 countries sent leaders or delegations to the Kuala Lumpur summit though all 57 members of the OIC had been invited.
Mahathir said the Kuala Lumpur Summit was meant to understand why Islam, the Muslims and their countries were “in a state of crisis, helpless and unworthy of this great religion.”
Mahathir said the summit, which will end on Saturday, should address the world’s perceptions of Islam, the rise of “Islamophobia,” the decline of the Islamic civilization and reforms in governance needed by Muslim nations.(Reuters)
