This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL PTER KISL IZ JO
SUBJECT: C-NE5-00725: UPDATE ON JORDANIAN CONFERENCE ON 
ISLAM 
 
REF: A. STATE 121734 
     ¶B. AMMAN 04991 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  In separate meetings on June 28 and 29 with 
King Abdullah, National Security Advisor Saad Khayr, and 
special adviser to the King (and the King's first cousin) 
Prince Ghazi, Charge received an update on plans for the 
conference on "True Islam and its Role in Modern Society," to 
be held in Amman from July 4-6.  Response to the conference 
from top clerics in the region has been positive; Ayatollah 
Sistani from Iraq has agreed to send a representative and 
Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah has signaled his support. 
Organizers hope the conference will remove religious cover 
for terrorism by issuing an agreed statement that clarifies 
who may issue a fatwa, rejects the labeling of anyone 
practicing the five pillars of Islam as an apostate, and 
declares that Muslims have a duty to obey the laws of their 
countries of residence.  Further information is provided 
below.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (C) PARTICIPANTS:  Approximately 170 representatives from 
all eight orthodox schools of Islamic jurisprudence (four 
Sunni, three Shia and a school known as Zahirism) from more 
than 40 countries will participate in the conference.  These 
include the grand muftis/top Muslim clerics of Egypt, Syria, 
Lebanon, Oman and Jordan, as well as influential imam Dr. 
Yusuf al-Qaradawi (a regular staple on Al-Jazeera and other 
satellite TV channels).  Clerics from Saudi Arabia will also 
attend with the backing of Crown Prince Abdullah, who 
(according to Prince Ghazi) has thrown his support behind the 
conference.  Of particular note, Iraqi Ayatollah Sistani has 
agreed to send Sayed Mohammad Musawi as his representative 
and is reportedly on board with the conference goals 
described below. 
 
¶3.  (C) RATIONALE:  King Abdullah views this conference as a 
means of containing Shia/Sunni violence in Iraq by depriving 
terrorists of religious cover.  Prince Ghazi explained that 
the conditions were ripe for this conference because of a) 
the impact of 9/11 on the world, b) increasing 
disillusionment with radical Wahabi teachings, and c) the 
support of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.  It was also, he 
said, an opportunity to extend an olive branch to the Shias 
of Iraq.  He expressed his view that Iraqi Shia had been 
gravely "wronged," noting that while outrage often followed 
the death of one Iraqi Sunni, Shias were told to remain calm 
after thousands of their number had been killed.  For this 
reason, he saw Sistani's green light for the conference as 
critically important.  With respect to Saudi Wahabis, Ghazi 
said he "didn't care" what they thought about the conference 
as long as CP Abdullah had given his backing. 
 
¶4.  (C) GOALS:  According to Khayr, the conference will help 
rectify perceived Arab silence in the face of terrorism by 
releasing an agreed statement that will accomplish three main 
goals:  1) define who is, and who is not (e.g., no one from 
outside a recognized school of Islamic jurisprudence), 
qualified to issue a fatwa; 2) emphasize that no one may 
dispute the Islamic identity of (or label as an apostate) a 
self-professed Muslim who practices the five pillars of 
Islam; and 3) declare that Muslims should respect and abide 
by the laws of the country in which they reside as long as 
these laws are not directly contrary to Islam.  Prince Ghazi 
confirmed these goals, stating that the consensus reached 
would be so well-grounded in the Koran and Islamic teachings 
that no one would be able to dispute it.  He added that he 
hoped conference participants would also affirm that Muslims 
living in non-Islamic countries (so long as they are afforded 
full rights) have a duty to defend these countries against 
physical attacks, including attacks from other Muslims. 
(NOTE: A copy of a preliminary draft statement has been faxed 
to NEA/ELA.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶5.  (C) FOLLOW-ON STRATEGY:  Once a joint statement embracing 
the above goals is signed at the conclusion of the 
conference, organizers anticipate that the leading clerics in 
attendance will issue individual fatwas that conform to the 
statement.  Sistani has agreed to issue a sympathetic fatwa, 
as well.  Prince Ghazi noted that the statement would be 
taken to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in an 
attempt to obtain its formal endorsement.  He envisioned the 
statement serving as the basis for a change in curriculum, 
from kindergarten to post-graduate studies, throughout the 
Islamic world.  He stressed that the conference was integral 
to "winning the hearts and minds" of Muslims so as to defeat 
terrorism, and cautioned the U.S. to keep at arm's length 
from the event to avoid accusations of Western interference. 
HALE