In Day for Tolerance Muslims told about Islamic approach of decision of modern social problems in Ukraine

Annually on November, 16th, the International Day for Tolerance is celebrated. The date is chosen not accidentally: on November, 16th, 1995 UNESCO member states accepted the Declaration of principles of tolerance, and this date was chosen one year later by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The corresponding actions focused on educational institutions and on the wide public are dated for this day.

Last years the report of ideas of tolerance became especially actual as sharp growth of the number of cases of display of intolerance, extremism and violence all over the world was observed. As a result, separate people and the whole communities become objects of violence and cruelty only owing to their ethnic, religious, national or other originality.

Therefore the duty of each thinking man is his contribution to struggle against stereotypes and fair treatment of each and every person.

Ukraine was not left aside: in several cities of the country passed the actions devoted to cooperation in the sphere of overcoming of discrimination and other sharp social problems which the Ukrainian society daily faces.

Meeting in Dnepropetrovsk

Social problems as such are found even at cursory examination — after all, the situation is so serious that it is possible to speak about system crisis in all spheres of the modern society. Systemity consists in the fact that the crisis captured the society as a whole, without regional, social and age distinctions.

The crisis is shown as in purely social measurement (as, for example, depopulation or change of the level of disease by certain illnesses), and in cultural-civilization level, where the general factors are the processes of destruction of cultural self-identification, deformation and loss of existing values, moral and ethical guidelines.

The gathered exchanged experience and opinions concerning the decision of such socio-cultural problems as sexual dissoluteness and all-permissiveness promoting disintegration of families and destruction of traditional socio-cultural norms, rules and guidelines; orphanhood; abortions. At the meeting there was also discussed the issue of alcoholism, in particular, teenage alcoholism, which acquired treats of national catastrophe.

The aforementioned problems are grouped into certain complexes, affecting and destroying social organism and changing its value-ideological orientations. The majority of those who are engaged in work in this area, - civil servants, politicians, doctors, scholars, representatives of social and other organizations, agree with it.

All of them develop approaches and mechanisms of struggle against consequences of these problems, however it is obvious — the struggle goes with consequences of problems, not with their reasons.

The root of the aforementioned problems is in ideological sphere, for the ideological foundations of life of the modern society are hedonism, consumption cult, material culture, liberalism. They generated the purpose and sense of existence of the society which, first of all, consists in satisfaction of material requirements. That is why the decision of the problems existing in the society is impossible without changing of the way of life of the society and its value guidelines.

The organizers of the meeting and its participants exchanged offers and personal experience in one of the aforementioned areas.

Umar Basil, the representative of the social organization "Al Mustaqbal", disclosed the view of Islam on the aforementioned issues. He emphasized that Islam forbids damage of health (alcohol, smoking, drugs), and morals of a man (all-permissiveness with following consequences, including for health).

All of it influences the society and infinitely reduces its chances to become successful, developing and prospering.

Concerning the intolerance which recently spread in the society,  Iyad Abu-Nadzhm told about the importance of the dialogue which is emphasized by Islam, and peaceful co-existence of various races and cultures, their mutual care of needs of each other and fruitful cooperation for the sake of general prosperity and well-being.

Round table in the city of Sumy

A week before, on November, 9th, 2011, the part of the AUASO "Alraid", the social organization "As-Sadaka" took part in work of the round table which was organized by the Center of social protection of the city of Sumy. At the meeting were discussed charities in the city, volunteer movement and its development.

Representatives of "As-Sadaka" organization presented to consideration of the gathered some directions of its activity in these spheres.

Visiting of orphanages by volunteers of the organization and helping them were set as examples; and also the beginning of the program "clean city" in which frameworks by forces of volunteers cleanliness and order on the city streets and parks is granted.

The organization also expressed its readiness to participate in others useful to the city volunteer projects to strengthen the spirit of cooperation and solidarity in such way, as it is taught by Islam and as it is proclaimed with the view of activity of this social organization.

Staff reporter.