‘Shared Qibla Must Inspire Real Unity,’ Malaysian Scholar Urges

IQNA – A Malaysian scholar and activist has called on Muslims worldwide to demonstrate unity through action rather than words, stressing that their common Qibla should be the foundation of solidarity.

The president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM), Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, made the remarks while speaking to IQNA on the sidelines of the 39^th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran earlier in September.  

He argued that the Islamic world needs a strong collective voice to defend Palestine and other oppressed communities. He pointed to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as a potentially effective platform but said it must be reformed into a more active body.

“The most important basis for unity among the followers of different Islamic schools is the same Qibla, which means that they pray towards a common direction,” he said.

Azmi urged Muslim-majority countries to go beyond reliance on the United Nations. He suggested building parallel coalitions through organizations such as the OIC, the Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN, and BRICS to exert pressure on aggressors.

He also called for an independent Islamic media network to counter the Zionist and Western propaganda.

He noted that Muslim countries “should also sign a strong defense and security pact to prevent aggression and coordinate collective defense strategies, and cooperate closely in the economic field, especially in vital sectors such as energy, food security, and technology.”

Azmi noted that reforming the OIC and showing unity through concrete measures, such as boycotts and sanctions, were necessary steps to strengthen the Islamic Ummah and assert its role in global affairs.

'Global conscience awakened'

On the humanitarian situation in Gaza, he praised international initiatives like the Sumud flotilla, which seeks to deliver aid and draw attention to conditions in the enclave. He said the effort reflects common values of peace, humanitarian support, and respect for international law.

“This extraordinary effort reflects the awakening of global conscience in the face of the crimes of the brutal Israeli regime,” he said, adding, “Ordinary people from around the world, while many governments have turned a blind eye to the catastrophe, have stepped forward in the hope of easing the burden of the wounded Palestinians.”

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