Addressing the opening of the 29th session of the International Islamic Unity Conference here on Sunday, Dr. Rouhani felicitated the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam Sadigh (AS) and criticized the Islamic world for stopping to look at the Zionist regime as the main aggressor.
He expressed hope the International Islamic Unity Conference paves the way for further consolidation and unity among Muslims, in their thoughts.
"Takfiri thoughts are definitively rooted in the lack of moderation and are led by dogmatic minds," Rouhani underlined, adding that if people fail to follow a fair, moderate tone of discourse which is far from any kind of extremism, the real result will only be violence.
Expressing regret over enemies' attempts to depict Islam as a religion of violence, Iran's president said, "Violence exactly starts where people quit mental equilibrium and moderate dialogue."
Regretfully, he added, a small group from within the Islamic Umah now help the terrorists prove their deeds and advance their crimes claiming Jihad.
Rouhani noted that more than two years ago, the Islamic Republic of Iran proposed the "World Against Violence and Extremism" to the United Nations, an issue which is threatening today's world. "Although seemingly passed unanimously by Muslim and non-Muslim countries, no measure of good faith was taken in practice," he said.
"If the world wants peace, all have to work together against extremism, violence and terrorism," Rouhani underlined.
Pointing to the prevailing bloodshed and massacre against Muslim world, including Yemen, Syria and Iraq, Rouhani said, "Why are we so silent in the face of all the killing and bloodshed?; do we help those who are the main cause of crimes?; is it not a disgrace to the Islamic world that innocent Muslims with their small children, with women, travel during the harsh winter, inside the river or sea with boats to seek refuge in non-Islamic countries?; Prophet (PBUH) and his companions were among us today, would they tolerate this great tragedy?"
The President underlined the resistance against intellectual and discourse violence. "We have to eliminate the negative interpretation of Islam in the virtual and real world; the great injustice is not only upon Muslims and the people of Libya, Syria, Iraq and Yemen; it is also the greatest injustice in the face of Islam," he said, adding that Islam is the religion of mercy.
The 29th session of the International Islamic Unity Conference was launched here on Sunday and will last for three days to focus on the current crises inflicting the Islamic world.
Hundreds of Shia and Sunni scholars as well as ministers of Muslim countries are attending the international gathering hosted by Iran.
LR