Religious leaders have gathered in the United Arab Emirates' Capital Abu Dhabi for the start of the ‘Renewal of Religious Discourse’ conference. The two-day conference is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and features a number of religious leaders from around the world discussing various critical issues related to ‘Religious Renewal’.

Speaking at the Conference, His Excellency Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Emirates Fatwa Council, Member of the Muslim Council of Elders and Chairman of the Supreme Academic Council of the Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities said, “Renewal covers many areas of life and is not necessarily connected to Ijtihad (exertion). The discourse needed by Muslims is both disciplined and tolerant and accommodates various points of view without accusing anyone of Kufr (religious infidelity)."