By the Grace of God, the Motamar AI-Alam Al-lslami has completed 80 years of its existence. The occasion will be marked with a conference at Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the third week of June.

The Motamar (or the World Muslim Congress) is the oldest international voluntary body of the Muslim peoples, having been founded in 1926 at Makkah at an assemblage of eminent people from the world of Islam, hosted by King Abdul Aziz Al Saud. Although a non-governmental organization, the Motamar has made a mark in the history. It provided a platform to the Muslim statesmen and leaders of the Muslim communities from the various parts of the world to deliberate on matters affecting the Muslim Ummah and raise their collective voice against injustice or aggression on them any where in the world. The Motamar was the first international organization which drew the world attention to the Zionist conspiracy against the Palestinian Muslims. Then at its conferences at Karachi in 1949 and 1951, it raised the issues of Israel aggression in Palestine and Indian occupation of Kashmir and of the Muslim states of Hyderabad and Junagarh.

The Motamar also voiced the demand of the Muslims peoples of North Africa for freedom from French rule and for withdrawal of British troops from the Sudan and the Suez Canal. It also appealed to the United Nations to secure legitimate rights of the people of Eritrea and Somaliland.

It was also from the Motamar's platform that the case of the Yugoslav Muslims was raised and concern was expressed at their sufferings and attacks on their religious freedom. Acting on the Quranic verse 'Verily, all Muslims are brethren' which is also its motto, the Motamar has always worked to promote brotherly relations among Muslim people and to remove differences and ill will amongst them. At the same time, the Motamar has reassured the rest of the world that it stands for the peace of the world and not for aggression against any one.

While recounting the major achievements of the Motamar it may be mentioned that its resolutions and suggestions have led to the establishment of a number of institutions of the Muslim world such as the Islamic Development Bank, Islamic News Agency and, The Islamic Chamber of Commerce.

In fact the establishment of the OIC can also be traced to the suggestion of the Motamar for periodic summit meetings of Heads of Muslim states. That was at the 1964 Conference of the Motamar at Mogadishu. The first Islamic Conference was held at Rabat in 1969 to protest the burning of AI-Aqsa Mosque following which the OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) came into being.

Speaking in the present context three clauses of the Motamar's Constitution are of special significance. One concerns the aims and objects of the Motamar which is "to render all embracing service to the cause of Islam and Muslims, in particular, and to humanity in general. That is why right from its inception the Motamar has worked not only for the welfare of the Muslims but also for world peace and inter-faith harmony and for all human causes.

The other objective of the Motamar which has acquired added importance in the post 9/11 era and the Islamophobia in the west is "to provide the world with general information regarding the activities of Muslims in different branches of life and also with regard to the various problems of the Islamic world and to mould world opinion. Concerning each of these problems and to unite our strength for maintaining international peace, harmony and security and contribute towards the establishment of conditions under which the dignity and worth of human person will be respected, and to work for the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind.

---