CONSIDERING the current state of the Muslim world, the Saudi grand mufti’s Haj sermon on Monday, in which the senior cleric called for shunning sectarianism and condemned terrorism, was much-needed and timely. The symbolic importance of the event cannot be overlooked, as the religious leader spoke to around 1.5 million believers present at Mount Arafat for the largest gathering of Muslims on earth. Casting a cursory glance over the condition of many Muslim-majority countries, we can clearly see the misery the twin plagues of terrorism and sectarianism have wrought in these states.

We in Pakistan know only too well the destructive impact terrorism has had on the national fabric, as militants have waged war against the state in the garb of religion. Afghanistan also remains on edge as there are genuine fears of civil war there once the foreign forces leave next year. Elsewhere, militancy is destroying what were once functional states. A sectarian bloodbath continues to unfold in Iraq, bearing a heavy Al Qaeda imprint, while the brutal Syrian civil war, again infused with heavy doses of sectarianism, grinds on. Egypt and other North African states are also experiencing turmoil, as the hope of the Arab Spring has given way to the return of the status quo or infighting.

If the Saudi grand mufti’s message is to have lasting effect, he and other senior ulema must make a greater effort to define terrorism and sectarianism. After all, militants from Pakistan to Nigeria carry out their murderous campaigns in the name of ‘jihad’, justifying violence by indicating their struggle is against Western ‘terrorism’ or the ‘terrorism’ of their governments. There is also the question of how much relevance mainstream ulema have where convincing militants to abandon their bloody tactics is concerned, as hardcore fighters care little for the pronouncements of ‘official’ preachers. Still, the contents of the sermon matter when it comes to setting the direction of the Muslim world. Ulema in influential positions across the Muslim world need to take their condemnations a step further and define, in black and white, what exactly constitutes terrorism and sectarianism. The targeting of innocent people of any faith or sect must be condemned by the clergy while there must be no condoning of violence in the name of religion. Also, the practice of takfir — apostatising — must be addressed seriously, as this is a major source of sectarian discord. These steps may help thwart the extremists’ obscurant agenda as they continue to use religion to spread their dark ideology.