Jordanian King: Violence will Destroy Muslim World

The ethnic and sectarian violence that is currently affecting several Arab countries could ultimately destroy the Muslim world, Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned Tuesday.

His warning was issued at a conference of religious scholars in Amman. The event was attended by Shiite Muslim, Sunni Muslim and Christian clergy.

The conference focused on how Muslim countries can safeguard human rights and civil rights.

The Jordanian king urged Muslims to focus on inclusiveness.

“Democracy is achieved when all share the feeling that they are truly represented,” he said.

Abdullah’s comments came as several Arab Muslim countries face internal violence. In Egypt, hundreds have been killed in the military government’s crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, while Syria’s civil war is increasingly becoming a religious sectarian battle.

There have been tensions and violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslims in Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain and elsewhere in the Middle East as well.

In Gaza, a new group is threatening to rebel against Hamas as the Egyptian army rebelled against the Muslim Brotherhood. The Fatah-Hamas rift that has split the PA leadership between Judea and Samaria and Gaza is also affected by religion: Fatah seeks an Arab state with secular laws based in Islam, while Hamas wishes to fully implement strict Islamic law (sharia) and has banned co-ed schools and reality TV shows with singing, among other things.