Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The digital media has to play a crucial role in promoting peace and understanding the true religious values. It also can be effectively used during Haj which symbolizes love, peace, equality, justice and brotherhood, experts opined during a two-day symposium on “Haj is a platform of peace from the holy land of Allah.”

The two-day symposium, organized by Ministry of Haj and Umrah in Makkah, concluded Monday evening with interesting presentation upon emergence of social media and need for its effective usage to promote true Islamic values of peace during the Haj.

The symposium was inaugurated by Muhammad Bin Saleh Bantan, minister of Haj and Umrah and attended by Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, chief of the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, host of Muslim intellectuals across the globe who emphasized upon the collective goal of achieving peace by projecting religious values.

The symposium held five panel discussions consisting of different people with in-depth knowledge.

Prof. Khalid Faisal Al-Faram of media and political affairs studies in Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University in Riyadh said digital media can be further advantageous by adhering to the principles of Islamic values.

Yasser Abdulaziz, leading Egypt journalist who has worked with many media giants including the BBC, said digital media influences the societal behavior of individuals which need to be taken seriously. He also said the impact of digital is rapidly growing and it is the time to formulate new strategies to achieve Islamic peace goals.

Abdulaziz remarked that 4G wars taking place through social media to incite people toward violence and protests also attract toward terrorism and ditching away peace.

Khairuddin Hamantosh of Bosnia said that Haj is a major Islamic congregation where message of peace can be disseminate through advance technology.

Najia Guemou of Constantine University in Algeria said that Haj rites can be explained to pilgrims very simply through their own language with the help of digital media.

New digital media, she said, has been changing behaviors of people toward the society and traditional media no longer holds any monopoly over the content.

Guemouh added that an individual is not merely a spectator but actively centric part of the content in digital media.

She said digital media can be effectively used for promoting peace and true values of Islamic principles.

Sheikh Al-Sudais urged the gathering on opening day, to prepare an encyclopedia on peace in Islam in all languages. He also said that Haj is an opportunity to disseminate the spirit of peace.