Speech of Absattar Kazhi Derbisali, Chairman of Ecclesiastic Directorate of Kazakhstani Muslims, Supreme Mufti, Professor

In the name of Gracious and Merciful Allah!
Praise to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,
Blessing and peace to our prophet Muhammad!

Your Excellency Mr. President, honorable participants and guests of the Congress! I warmly welcome dear participants of the Congress on behalf of Islamic clergy of our country.

Millions of Islam adherents, living in the Republic, have apprehended with pleasure and hope news about opening of the II Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana.

Kazakhstan represents a sample of inter-religious harmony and consent. More than 70 percent of the population of the country are connected with the Islam culture, the other 30 percent are the followers of other religions. All of them, irrespective of religion, show sincere respect and tolerance to other religion followers. Therefore, the atmosphere of creation and the consent were established on our blessed land.

The important geopolitical location of the Republic defines historical mission of Kazakhstan. The content of this mission is peace-making. Especially the planetary peace-making became the expression of the Kazakh life nature.

The head of the state in full realizes historical, peace-making mission of Kazakhstan. He makes big efforts for strengthening stability both at regional and at global level as well. Kazakhstan's creative initiatives were realized in organizing the First Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which was held in Astana in autumn of the year 2003. As you remember, spiritual leaders of many countries of the world have gathered at this forum. Certainly, the First Congress was a very important event, promoting the development of inter-civilization contacts, the formation of culture of inter-confession dialogue.

At a closing ceremony of the First Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan has noted that all participants agreed in views, that extremism, separatism, terrorism and other forms of violence, in the name of religion, have nothing in common with true understanding of religion and are threat for mankind.

Glory to Supreme Allah, today we accept leaders of world and traditional religions in Astana for the second time. This is a great honor for us. In this connection, I would like to express my special appreciation to two of my colleagues who are present here, professor Shantilal Karamshi Somaiya, Chairman of "Research Institute of hindology and inter-religious dialogue" (India). He organized an inter-religious forum in Bombay in 2004, after our Congress in Kazakhstan in 2003 and invited me to this forum. On the opening of the Bombay forum, Mr. Shantilal Somaiya directly declared that he has organized the forum as a token of respect to Kazakhstan and its President Nazarbayev and the further realization of declaration of the Astana Congress. He noted that first of all he was impressed by the remarkable attention, displayed by Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan, to leaders of world and traditional religions. He also told that he had participated in many forums of religious leaders but never saw that the Head of the State paid so much attention to participants. Somaiya said: "Nazarbayev was present at the Congress in Astana from the beginning to the end. He addressed to me with words "your Excellency". I was very touched by so good and respectful attitude to my personality and I decided to carry out such inter-religious forum in Bombay".

One of the participants, a well-known Indian figure at the Bombay forum, declared that, when India obtained its independence, God granted Indian people with Javaharlal Neru to realize dreams of the Indian people - to build an independent state. In the same way God granted Nazarbayev to Kazakh people, that he also built an independent republic. I was deeply touched by so high estimation of our President. On behalf of Moslems of our country thank you Mr. Somaiya for so warm words about Kazakhstan and its President.

I am also grateful to Metropolitan of France Emmanuel Adamakis, he is also present here. The International conference "Religion, Peace, Olympic ideal" was held on the eve of the Athenian summer Olympiad in August 2004 in the city of Athens and I was invited there. Mr. Emmanuel, Metropolitan of France, Chairman of the Session, before my speech, made a very touching speech for half an hour about the Astana Congress, about Kazakhstan and its President. Metropolitan Emmanuel told that Athenian Conference was a continuation of the successful process of cooperation of religious leaders in Astana. By expressing hearty gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for organization of such meeting he noted, that Astana became the capital of all religions and Kazakhstan shows a worthy example of peaceful co-existence of nations and religions. He expressed a profound gratitude to the President at the meeting of religious leaders for his courageous initiative on the establishment of a constant dialogue and interaction among leaders of various religions, which is one of the effective ways in promoting mutual understanding and tolerance. Thank you very much.

Many participants have been gathered at the present II Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. This time, the number of participants and guests is more than at the First Congress. Respectful representatives of various religions have arrived to the capital of Kazakhstan in order to achieve further development of the dialogue. We can say with full confidence that our forum has turned to be an effective instrument for strengthening mutual understanding and trust between various religions.

The results of the II Congress undoubtedly will be impressing.

As you see, to the time of the scheduled Congress of spiritual leaders, a new building - a Palace of World Religions - has been built where now we are holding our Congress. Really this grandiose construction has become a symbol of the universal reconciliation and friendship. This is the first cultural construction in the history of humanity, containing all leading ceremonial representations, where Moslems, Christians, Jewish, Buddhists and others join together. In the world history, the unprecedented Palace of Peace and Concord - the Palace of World Religions has been constructed only in Astana.

Dear brothers!

The religions of Moslems, Christians and Jewish have much in common, as according to the Sacred Koran, Supreme Allah informs us how all of us are connected by one faith. We need common faith, especially in the issues of the Middle East where so many innocent people had perished. Extremism, fanaticism and deformation of values are affairs far from religion. Crime against faith is crime against God. Global belief does not perceive rage. The religion calls for mutual understanding, to peace-loving. We need to meet together to solve our problems.

Islam respects all religions, because all religions have one root. The Sacred Koran states: "I say, Muhammad, we believed in Allah, that was granted to Ibrahim, Ismail, Isaak, Yakob and to their descendants. That what granted to Musa and to all their prophets of the Lord" (Imraan sura, ayat 84). In other words Islam deems Moses, Jesus and others prophets inspired from heavens. That fact that many former Christians, Jewish have recognized mission of Muhammad and some of them visited Arabia in search of the teacher and had even more strengthened the belief in the continuity of ancient common doctrine. It means that religions, previous to Islam, could have various interpretations.

The sacred Koran informs believers that Moslems, people of Holy Writ, can adjust related communications. If Supreme Allah rules over the believer according to the Sacred Koran to show good and tolerance in relation to people of Holy Writ, then Moslems can not take a position, contradicting to the instructions of Supreme Lord. We acknowledge Christians and Jewish as people of Holy Writ. So let's then be rallied to unite all of us by the word "I believe". Let's love our Creator and the Lord, follow his guides and ask him to strengthen our belief, place wisdom in our hearts and grant cleanliness of reason, set all of us on a path of truth. When Moslems, Christians and Jewish will be united by the word "I believe" and they will understand that they are brothers, the present world shall become much more safe.

The Sacred Koran rules to honor and respect other religions if they do not show animosities to Islam and Moslems. Moral postulates of the Sacred Koran completely reject all false accusations and incorrect fabrications about aggressive character of Islam, on the contrary, they testify to its extremely peaceful nature, directed to strengthening of the international community security. These humanistic norms of Islam testify creative multi-vector policy of our state, policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan governed by Nazarbayev, that is directed to further strengthening of international security.

Dear colleagues! At the end of my speech I want to wish all of you peace and calmness, goodness and prosperity! I wish you peace and favor of Allah!