Excerpt from Statements in Meeting with Heads of Central Banks of Islamic Countries

The very establishment of the Islamic Development Bank was a significant step, and fortunately, we observe and hear from you that this bank and Islamic banking operations have gained a prominent position not only in the Islamic world but even in non-Islamic countries; this is a great experience for us as a Muslim community.

Let us take pride in Islam; let us take pride in Islamic rulings for leading a correct life; let us appreciate Islamic rulings and strive to present Islamic laws for human life and the administration of countries so that the true face of Islam, which has been hidden under the clouds of destruction and opposing propaganda, gradually reveals itself.

Any action taken today that aims to gather Islamic forces and organize the great Islamic community in various aspects of life is a service to Islam, Islamic countries, and humanity. Your banking work and the Islamic Development Bank and the financial services committee all fall into this category and are on this path.

Today, it is a great reality that Muslims in the world constitute a determining entity; or we can say that the Islamic community can be a determining entity in shaping global policies and the general movement of humanity. For a long time, efforts have been made to keep Muslims out of the fundamental dynamics of the world and human life, from science, from economic progress, from international power, and from political and economic influence. At least two centuries have been invested in this effort, and this endeavor continues. This has been a great injustice to the Muslims of the world and the Islamic community.

Today, the Islamic community has awakened and recognized its worth, importance, and capabilities to a great extent. It is time to utilize these capabilities to improve the lives of the Islamic community and to demonstrate the capabilities of Islam in practice. No words or propaganda are more significant than action. If we are interested in Islam or the Islamic community, we must work and strive.

God Almighty has granted many blessings to the Islamic community; we do not make proper use of these blessings; these are realities. Today, we are approximately one-fourth of the world's population. A significant and determining portion of the world's energy is in the hands of us Muslims. The world's gas, the world's oil, and the vast human resources of talent are at our disposal. A large part of the most sensitive strategic regions of the world is under our control. The world must recognize these realities; and first and foremost, we ourselves must recognize these realities.

The arrogant powers of the world constantly tell us Muslims through their propaganda loudspeakers to pay attention to the realities of the world. Their meaning of realities is that the Western world is advanced and capable in terms of science, technology, economy, and military. They say, 'See these realities and submit to the demands of the global powers.' They constantly ask us why we lack realism. Their meaning of realism is that we should submit to the concentrated scientific, economic, and technological power of the West and yield.

Alongside that reality, there are other realities: that half of the world's gas belongs to us; that a significant portion of the world's oil belongs to Muslims. Today, what can the world do without oil and gas? The world's light, warmth, and technology depend on oil; this belongs to the Islamic community; this is also a reality. Today, we are one-fourth of the world's population; this is also a reality; this must be acknowledged. They eliminate these realities from their equations. Unfortunately, we also fail to see these realities due to feelings of inferiority and insignificance. Why should we not see them?

There is no doubt that today the Islamic world is fragmented; however, the Islamic world can be united; a small experience of this is the establishment of the Islamic Development Bank. You have managed to concentrate a part of the civilization of the Islamic world—financial and monetary issues—in one area. Observe how much benefit and advantage this work brings to the Islamic world today. It should be this way in all areas.

Today, the fundamental plan of global arrogance for the Islamic world is complete domination. The grand Middle East plan proposed by the Americans is essentially the creation of a large country called the Middle East, centered around the Zionist regime. All the governments in these countries must become puppet governments of Israel. The meaning of the grand Middle East is that we give a vast human territory to Israel to invest and produce cheaply and increase its wealth; and if the myth of the Nile to the Euphrates could not be realized militarily, it will be achieved through economic, political, monetary, and technical means. America—and in a sense, the West—wants this. Why should the Islamic world submit to such a demand?

Progress in these fields requires thought, intellect, planning, and wisdom; it requires us to bring our hearts closer together. The elusive elixir that we must strive to obtain is the unity and solidarity of Muslim countries in various sectors.

The work you are doing regarding banking and monetary issues is very valuable; pursue this. This Islamic financial services committee you have formed will greatly assist in achieving a unified approach in Islamic banking among Islamic countries and in properly overseeing the movement of banks; however, activate the Islamic Development Bank as much as you can.

We must work to strengthen exchanges between Islamic countries. Today, trade and commerce and monetary and banking exchanges among Islamic countries are significantly less and weaker than their trade and financial exchanges with countries outside the Islamic world; this is not a good reality; this reality must be changed.

We can help each other and expand cooperation. To develop this cooperation, the executive committee of the Islamic Development Bank can define a quantitative and measurable goal and ask the board of directors of the Islamic Development Bank to operationalize it and plan for it within a specified time—perhaps in the coming year. This goal can even be very ambitious, as the capacity of Islamic countries is vast. This capacity can be utilized, and communications between countries can be further developed.

We hope that God Almighty helps all of us and the Islamic community; grants us sufficient determination and enthusiasm so that we can move forward and act according to our faith and beliefs. Let us take firm steps, for God Almighty will assist us; 'And those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our paths, and indeed, Allah is with the good-doers.'