Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday called on the adherents to the eight schools of Islam thought to unify their positions on the contemporary challenges facing Islam and to counter distortions of the religion during the opening of the International Islamic Conference in Amman. According to Petra, the eight Islamic schools include the four Sunni schools, the Ja'fari Shi'i school, the Ibadi school, the Zaydi school and the Thahiri school.
Addressing a gathering of around 170 Islamic scholars and thinkers of 40 different nationalities, the Jordanian monarch stressed Muslims are obliged to correct the tarnished image of Islam. "Primary among our obligations as Muslims is to present to the world the true essence of Islam. Islam is not the religion of violence and terrorism, or prejudice and isolation", he said, adding that "those who promulgate "Islamic" slogans, have defamed Islam and Muslims, and harmed Muslims, intentionally or unintentionally."
