ISLAMABAD, Oct 1: The message of Islam to the world is to rise above all disputes, respect humanitarian values and cooperate.

This was stated by Prof Ismail Hanafi al-Haj at the international conference on 'Protection of war victims in the light of Islamic law and international humanitarian law' which entered the second day of deliberations on Friday.

The international conference is being jointly organized by the International Islamic University (IIU) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). On the second day of the three-day conference being held at the Convention Centre, Muslim scholars from around the world delved deep to discuss principles of limitation and proportionality in the conduct of hostilities.

They discussed means and methods of warfare, kinds of weapons and tactics which were forbidden. They also discussed collateral damage and the precautions to be taken before launching an attack.

Dilating on the topic, Prof Ismail Hanafi al-Haj, dean faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies International University of Africa, Khartoum, said in Islam humiliating human beings was forbidden and they must be treated humanely.

Torturing and ethnic cleansing were forbidden in Islam, he added. Dr Abdul Rahman bin Zinedi of Islamic University Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Riyadh said this conference was a good opportunity for cultural dialogue.

He conveyed a message that Muslims wanted to give everything good they had and urged the whole world to rise above humanitarian values. Dr Ameur Zemmalli, adviser to the ICRC, talked about the weapons and methods of warfare that were forbidden according to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

In the afternoon session, the conference discussed the principle of humanity, protection of victims of armed conflicts, medical personnel and humanitarian workers. How should prisoners of war and other victims of the conflict like women and children and civilians be treated.

The afternoon session was firstly addressed by Dr Suleiman bin Abdallah Ab-al-Khayl of Islamic University Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Riyadh. The scholars quoted many examples from Islamic history where war victims and prisoners of war were treated humanely.