A recent seminar that convened Mauritania's top religious scholars in Nouakchott drew comment from as far afield as inmates serving time for extremist beliefs and acts.The four-day seminar on "Islam and Dilemmas of Tolerance and Fanaticism in Understanding and Behaviour" wrapped up on January 8th with recommendations from participants that included "holding a dialogue with extremists and accepting the repentance of the repentant".
"We followed the seminar [lectures] on the radio," imprisoned Salafist leader Mohammed Sheikh Ould Mohammed said in a press statement issued after the event. "Out of concern for the affairs of Muslims, we decided that an event of such a size shouldn't pass by without us making a stop [for it] that matches the hugeness of the event".
The event "was enhanced by the distinguished presence of top scholars, imams and thinkers in order to deal with one of the most serious issues facing our nation today", said the inmate, who called discourse on moderation "interesting, especially given the clarity of sharia texts that show that [Islam] is based on moderation and tolerance in all matters".
Mohammed Ould Mustaf, who writes on Salafism in Mauritania, told Magharebia that the first-of-its-type event "was held at exactly the right time".
"I wasn't surprised to hear supporting voices from the Mauritanian Salafist movement from inside the prison," he said. "I've met with many of the young people who were influenced by the moderate religious discourse presented by the imams and thinkers who attended the seminar," added Mustaf, who expects ideological reviews from participants. "Those young men recorded the different lectures using their cell phones to keep them for future reference."
The seminar's closing report focuses on social and religious harm caused by extremism and fanaticism, including the "takfir of other Muslims based on personal ijtihad from people who don't possess the necessary qualifications for ijtihad ... mistrust of other people ... rejection of the 'other', challenging scholars, self-destruction ... and other damage".
The report, which cautions against embracing the fatwas of extremists, also says the "symptoms of fanaticism and extremism" tend to become "introversion and isolation, and then ... indignation and hatred against society, which soon turn into violent acts".
Mauritanian Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf, who attended the closing ceremony, thanked the participants for their efforts to "enlighten public opinion, explain the truth and expose lies".