Muslim World League

The Muslim World League (MWL), also known in Arabic as Rābiṭat al-ʿĀlam al-Islāmī, is an international Islamic non-governmental organization headquartered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It was established in 1962 after a resolution adopted at a General Islamic Conference convened in Mecca, where 22 Muslim religious leaders met under the auspices of then Crown Prince Faisal. The organization presents itself as a worldwide institution for communicating Islamic teachings, strengthening cooperation among Muslims, supporting charitable activity, and addressing social and humanitarian needs. The MWL is not a consumer-goods brand or a commercial halal-food company. Its activities are primarily institutional and nonprofit in character. They include supporting mosque construction and administration, publishing Islamic books and periodicals, distributing copies of the Quran, training and deploying religious educators, assisting communities affected by disasters, and providing relief to both Muslim and non-Muslim populations. Through affiliated bodies, it has also supported medical facilities, orphanages, clean-water projects, and other development initiatives in parts of Africa and Asia. The organization’s structure includes a senior scholarly and consultative body, the World Supreme Council for Mosques, the Islamic Fiqh Council, the International Organization for Quran and Sunnah, the World Organization of Muslim Scholars, and an international relief and welfare organization. The relief body was founded in 1978 as the International Islamic Relief Organization and later operated under a name emphasizing relief, welfare, and development. These bodies give the MWL a broad operating scope spanning religious scholarship, mosque services, education, humanitarian aid, and international public engagement. The MWL’s public profile changed significantly after Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa became secretary-general in 2016. Under his leadership, the organization has emphasized moderation, rejection of violent extremism, religious tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue across Muslim communities and with other faiths. Its outreach has included meetings with Christian, Jewish, and other religious leaders, participation in interfaith initiatives, and public statements concerning antisemitism, Islamophobia, discrimination, and the rights of minorities. The organization’s Charter of Makkah, adopted in 2019 after a gathering of more than 1,200 Islamic scholars and leaders from 139 countries, articulated principles concerning equality, human dignity, opposition to extremism, religious harmony, women’s rights, and peaceful coexistence. The MWL holds general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, allowing it to participate in relevant UN processes as an international non-governmental organization. It has also maintained humanitarian cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Its international visibility has increased through high-profile initiatives such as Al-Issa’s 2020 visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau with a delegation of Muslim leaders and the organization’s partnership with the American Jewish Committee. The League remains active in religious education, humanitarian relief, mosque development, scholarly exchange, and interfaith engagement. It operates within an Islamic theological framework while presenting its contemporary mission as one of moderation, human solidarity, and opposition to religiously framed violence. Because it is an organization rather than a conventional product brand, its principal offerings are programs, institutions, publications, forums, and aid operations rather than packaged goods.

The Muslim World League was created in Mecca in 1962 following a resolution of the General Islamic Conference held on 18 May of that year, corresponding to 14 Dhu al-Hijjah 1381 in the Islamic calendar. Its formation followed a meeting of 22 Muslim religious leaders held under the auspices of Crown Prince Faisal, who later became King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. The League’s founding purpose was to communicate Islam internationally, encourage unity among Muslims, support charitable work, and oppose racial, regional, and sectarian divisions. From its establishment, the MWL developed a network of religious, scholarly, educational, and charitable functions. It supported the construction and maintenance of mosques, circulated Islamic literature and Quran copies, and organized missions for preachers and religious educators. Its mosque-related work included efforts to improve the training of imams and khatibs, publish material concerning mosque leadership, survey mosque institutions, and promote the mosque as a center of worship, education, guidance, and social service. The organization created or supervised several subsidiary institutions. The World Supreme Council for Mosques emerged from a 1975 conference concerned with the role and protection of mosques and Islamic endowments. The Islamic Fiqh Council brought together jurists and scholars to consider contemporary questions of Islamic jurisprudence. In 1978, the League founded the International Islamic Relief Organization, which became an important vehicle for international relief and development work. Its reported activities have included emergency assistance, orphanage support, health centers, cataract surgery programs, educational supplies, and water infrastructure. The World Organization of Muslim Scholars was established in 2003 to coordinate scholarly perspectives on challenges facing Muslim communities. The MWL also built an international institutional presence through consultative relationships. It holds general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the highest category of consultative recognition available to qualifying non-governmental organizations. It has also cooperated with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on humanitarian operations, including work in Sudan, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. A prominent contemporary phase began in 2016, when Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa became secretary-general. During his tenure, the League has publicly stressed moderate Islamic values, rejection of extremism, peaceful coexistence, and dialogue among faiths. Its agenda has included engagement with Christian and Jewish leaders, opposition to antisemitism and Islamophobia, and efforts to reduce sectarian polarization. In 2019, the League contributed to the development of the Charter of Makkah, which was adopted at a gathering of more than 1,200 Islamic scholars, imams, and leaders representing 139 countries. The document set out principles concerning human equality, religious harmony, opposition to hatred and violence, justice, women’s empowerment, and protection of minorities. In January 2020, Al-Issa led a delegation of Muslim leaders to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The visit was widely reported as a significant gesture of Muslim remembrance and opposition to antisemitism. That month, the MWL and the American Jewish Committee also entered a formal cooperation agreement addressing antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Muslim-Jewish relations. The organization later supported the establishment of an interfaith research initiative at Teachers College, Columbia University. The League’s history therefore combines an original mandate centered on Islamic propagation, institutional unity, mosque support, and relief with a more recent public emphasis on interfaith engagement and counter-extremism. It remains headquartered in Mecca and operates internationally through its secretariat, subsidiary councils, affiliated charitable institutions, conferences, publications, and partnerships.

1. 2020Auschwitz delegation and Muslim-Jewish cooperation agreement

   The secretary-general led a Muslim delegation to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the MWL signed a memorandum with the American Jewish Committee.

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2. 2019Charter of Makkah adopted

   More than 1,200 Islamic scholars and leaders from 139 countries endorsed a charter addressing tolerance, equality, human rights, and opposition to extremism.

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3. 2016Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa becomes secretary-general

   Al-Issa began leading the League and placed increased public emphasis on interfaith dialogue, moderation, and countering extremism.

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4. 2003World Organization of Muslim Scholars founded

   The organization created a body intended to coordinate Muslim scholars and intellectuals addressing contemporary issues.

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5. 1978International Islamic Relief Organization founded

   The League established an international relief organization to provide welfare and development assistance to communities in need.

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6. 1975World Supreme Council for Mosques established

   A conference on the role of mosques led to the creation of the World Supreme Council for Mosques as a specialized MWL body.

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7. 1962Muslim World League founded

   The General Islamic Conference in Mecca adopted the resolution that established the Muslim World League after a gathering of Muslim religious leaders.

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A global Islamic institution combining religious education, humanitarian assistance, scholarly coordination, mosque support, and advocacy for moderation and interfaith coexistence.

• Religious education and publicationsReligious services

  The MWL publishes Islamic books, pamphlets, and mosque-oriented periodicals, distributes Quran copies, and supports the education and professional development of imams, khatibs, preachers, and scholars. These activities are intended to communicate Islamic teachings and promote the organization’s interpretation of moderate and peaceful religious values.

• Mosque support programsReligious infrastructure1975

  Through the World Supreme Council for Mosques and related structures, the League provides institutional support for mosques and Islamic endowments. Its stated aims include protecting mosques, improving their administration, and restoring their role as centers of worship, education, guidance, and community service.

• International relief and developmentHumanitarian aid1978

  The League’s relief institutions provide assistance after disasters and support longer-term welfare projects. Reported work includes medical centers, cataract surgery, orphanages, educational materials, clothing, clean-water infrastructure, and assistance to Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

• Islamic jurisprudence and scholarly consultationScholarly services

  The Islamic Fiqh Council and related scholarly bodies consider questions affecting Muslim communities and help coordinate religious perspectives. Their work addresses issues for which Islamic scripture does not provide an explicit or singularly interpreted answer.

• Interfaith dialogueInternational relations and dialogue2016

  Under Al-Issa, the MWL has expanded conferences, visits, partnerships, and public engagement with Christian, Jewish, and other communities. The program focuses on religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence, human solidarity, and opposition to antisemitism, Islamophobia, and violent extremism.

• 2020Auschwitz-Birkenau Muslim leaders delegation

  International

  Secretary-General Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa led a delegation of Muslim leaders from 28 countries to Auschwitz-Birkenau to remember Holocaust victims and demonstrate opposition to antisemitism.

  Outcome. The visit received international coverage as a major interfaith and anti-antisemitism initiative involving senior Muslim representatives.

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• 2019Charter of Makkah

  Worldwide

  The MWL helped convene and develop a declaration endorsed by Islamic scholars, imams, and leaders from 139 countries. Its principles call for rejecting extremism and hatred, opposing injustice, recognizing human equality, protecting minorities, empowering women, and encouraging religious harmony.

  Outcome. The charter became a prominent statement of the League’s contemporary emphasis on inclusive and moderate Islamic principles.

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• 2019League Boreholes Project

  Ghana

  The League’s relief organization completed a borehole project intended to improve access to clean drinking water for communities in Ghana.

  Outcome. The project was reported as completed in 2019.

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• 2020Memorandum of understanding with the American Jewish CommitteeOther

  The MWL and AJC sought to address antisemitism and Islamophobia while improving understanding between Muslim and Jewish communities.

  What changed. The organizations signed a formal cooperation agreement focused on combating hate and deepening Muslim-Jewish ties.

  Aftermath. The agreement became part of the League’s broader interfaith and anti-extremism program.

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• 2016Shift toward interfaith dialogue and counter-extremismStrategy

  After Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa became secretary-general, the MWL increased its public focus on religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence, interfaith engagement, and opposition to violent extremism.

  What changed. The organization expanded outreach to Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and other religious leaders and promoted dialogue through conferences, institutional partnerships, and public advocacy.

  Aftermath. The shift increased the League’s visibility in international interfaith initiatives and led to recognition from several religious and governmental interlocutors.

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• 2020Muslim World League delegation visits Auschwitz-Birkenau

  Secretary-General Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa led a delegation of Muslim leaders from multiple countries to Auschwitz-Birkenau in an initiative emphasizing remembrance, rejection of antisemitism, and interfaith understanding.

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• 2020Muslim World League and American Jewish Committee sign cooperation agreement

  The organizations announced a memorandum of understanding focused on combating antisemitism and Islamophobia and strengthening Muslim-Jewish relations.

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• 2019Muslim World League receives recognition for interfaith outreach

  The organization’s secretary-general was cited in the United States terrorism report for promoting interfaith dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence with Muslim and non-Muslim religious authorities.

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1. Muslim World League
2. Muslim World League official website
3. American Jewish Committee and Muslim World League sign historic agreement
4. United States Country Reports on Terrorism 2019
5. Auschwitz-Birkenau Muslim leaders delegation