The Secretary-General of Jeddah-based International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, met on Thursday at the headquarters of IIFA General Secretariat, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain, who is currently on a visit to the Kingdom. Ambassador Hussain explained that his visit to the headquarters of the IIFA General Secretariat came within the framework of his country's tireless endeavor to strengthen relations of cooperation and coordination with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and its affiliated bodies and to learn and benefit from the Academy's contributions in the areas of pluralism, religious tolerance, coexistence between religions and cultures, and combating extremist ideology, terror and violence. He pointed out that the US government views with appreciation the moderate and sober thought offered by the IIFA, and all commendable efforts to spread moderation and peaceful coexistence between religions. He said it was looking forward to more cooperation and coordination with the IIFA in order to serve these noble humanitarian goals, through the joint organization of some targeted scientific activities inside and outside the United States, and the participation of prestigious US religious institutions in the council's various sessions and scientific conferences. For his part, the IIFA Secretary-General stressed that this meeting would mark the beginning of solid relations of cooperation and coordination between the Academy and the authorities supervising religious affairs in the United States. He stressed the IIFA's readiness to work on organizing joint scientific activities directed at Muslim communities within the United States and invite the American Muslim scholars to participate in the upcoming sessions of the Academy to enrich the dialogue and spread its benefits. — SPA
