Generosity and helping the poor are two key principles of Islam. The Qur'an states clearly that the poor have a right in the wealth of the rich. And these principles could not have been set by a more appropriate example than that of Saudi Arabia. Even more appropriate was the venue in which Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal announced its donation of a whopping $1 billion to the OIC's Poverty Alleviation Fund: The OIC Summit in Dakar. The example the Kingdom sets comes not only from the heart of our Islamic teachings, but also from the heart of the Kingdom as the birthplace of Islam, the home of world-renowned Arab generosity, and its position as the Muslim world's wealthiest country. It is an example that should be followed by all member states, each according to their capacity. The Muslim world suffers some of the highest poverty rates in the world, and those rates are bound to rise with the seemingly open-ended increases of global commodity prices. This is where the wealth of Muslim nations can work best to help people lead decent lives without need or suffering. Another example that was set in the OIC summit was one of solidarity and cooperation. On Friday, the member states discussed amendments to the organization's charter that would further streamline joint Islamic work and reinforce cooperation and consultancy on all fronts. This is one more step towards a Muslim world that works in unison, a world that shapes itself into a formidable world power that can manifest itself as a partner with the rest of the world, rather than being falsely conceived as a threat. “The new charter embraces the United Nations language to reflect moderation and tolerance of Islam and focus on development and solidarity in action between members,” OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu told a news conference earlier last week. And he couldn't be clearer. The very existence of the OIC shows that Islam and Muslim nations are moderate, friendly and devoid of any notions of hostility to other nations. The OIC came about to put Muslim nations under one umbrella in which they interact among themselves and with the world and help each other. There is nothing more noble, tolerant and friendly than that. And moderation was most clearly manifested with the OIC's measured, diplomatic responses to all campaigns against Islam and Muslims, the latest of which was the revived cartoon debacle. That was one other example of solidarity and international diplomacy that all of the member states contributed to. Keep up the good work. __
