Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak on Monday called for confronting all elements of division and extremism which threaten security and stability in the Islamic world and distort the image of IslamIn his address at the inaugural session of the 22nd conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs read out by Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, Mubarak warned that the spread of extremism and bigotry among youths not only obstructs the Islamic world's development but also distances Muslims from working for the progress of their nation.
"We (Muslims) need an enlightened religious discourse based on Sharia in terms of tolerance and acceptance of the other," he said.
He called on the Islamic nation to seek progress armed by science and knowledge in a race against time to provide its people a decent life and contribute to the stability and security of the world.
Egypt president Mubarak said that "The regrettable criminal acts committed in some Islamic nations every now and then under the banner of Islam affirm the pressing need for an enlightened religious discourse based on the Sharia and backed by the media and the system of education"
The four-day conference was held in Cairo, attracting religious leaders and some representatives from 80 countries.
