Crown Prince Salman shakes hands with Bangladesh President Mohammed Abdul Hamid while receiving in Mina foreign dignitaries who performed Haj this year. (SPA)

Reiterating Saudi Arabia’s determination to root out terrorism, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Sunday emphasized the importance of dialogue in combating extremism and promoting world peace.

“Engaging in dialogue is the only way to live in peace and harmony with other communities around the world,” the king said in his message to the guests of God, who have to come for Haj this year.

“Dialogue will eventually prevent bloodshed and avert disunity, ignorance and extremism,” he said.

“We shall not rest until we eradicate terrorism and the misguided group, which has used Islam as a bridge to achieve its vested interests and unlawfully stigmatize the beauty of Islam with their misleading rhetoric.”

Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, read out the king’s message during a reception in Mina, which was attended by Sudanese President Omar Bashir, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, Bangladesh President Mohammed Abdul Hamid, Maldives President Abdulla Yameen and Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and representatives of foreign Haj missions.

In his keynote address, King Abdullah emphasized the Islamic teachings and values that urge Muslims to live in peace with other sects and faith-based communities.

“It has been reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said while circumambulating the Holy Kaaba: ‘How pure and good you are! How pure and good your fragrance is! How great and exalted you are, and how great and exalted your sanctity is! But I swear by Allah that the sanctity of a believer’s blood and property in sight of Allah is greater than your sanctity,” the king said.

He noted the impact of the International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna, which is named after King Abdullah, saying its activities would contribute to eradicating terrorism and promoting a cultural dialogue in the world.

 
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