Oman is a country of love, peace, harmony and tolerance. It has a zero-rated policy of intolerance and extremism. It has a policy of “NO ENEMY, NO CONFLICT” with its neighbours. Oman shares land border with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, while sharing marine border with Pakistan and Iran. Its total population is 4.5 million. It is oldest independent state in the Arab world.
Religion
% of population
Islam
90% (100% among Oman’s original population)
Hindus
5% ( all are migrant workers)
Christians
3% ( all are migrant workers)
Others
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In 2011, the Philippine government determined that out of all the countries in the Middle East, only Oman qualifies for Filipino migrants. All non-Muslims in Oman are foreign workers. Muscat has two Hindu temples. Oman’s articles 34,35 and 36 of the Basic Law of the State guarantees, freedom of worship, expression of privacy. Non- Muslims are entitled to their own houses of worship for the conduct of their religious rites freely and under the reassuring protection of the law. The Omani Code issued by Royal Decree No 7/2018 defined all acts designed to foment religious or sectarian strife or to lead to feelings of hatred or contempt or disunity among citizens, or to instigate such, as crime against the state’s internal security, punishable by prison terms of no less than three years and up to ten.
Oman’s policies of love, peace and tolerance are admired globally. There are several such indices compiled by multiple impeccable institutions and the sultanate’s position confirms the success of policies that have consistently rejected violence, terrorism and crime. The Sultanate ranked 4th in the Middle East and North Africa and 68th Globally on the 2020 Global Peace Index issued by the Institute for Economics and Peace. The Institute monitors levels of peace prevailing in 163 countries and territories around the world, based on its evaluation by reference to three sub-indicators, namely safety and social peace, ongoing conflicts, and the effectiveness of the military. The Sultanate also topped the list of countries least exposed to terrorist activity. The 2020 Global Terrorism index classified it as a country of zero terrorism for the eight year in a row. This maximum ranking, which the sultanate maintained since the index was first published in 2012, reflects Oman’s tolerant social climate where violent trends have never managed to take hold. The Sultan’s message of understanding and co-existence, a deeply rooted facet of its history. Is resonating more than ever around the world, especially in the regions its absence is fueling social anxiety as never before. Oman’s message bears the authenticity of long experience and social reality.
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On 16th November, 2019, in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the Sultan Qaboos Declaration Project on United Human Values was unveiled at the celebration of International Day for tolerance before a large UN audience. The declaration lays out three stranded blue prints designated to restore balance to the Turbulent world in which we live today.
Stranded One: Improve peoples lives by guaranteeing basic dignity and rights and human cohesion free of conflicts and strife.
Stranded Two: Adopt a global system of ethics that motivates people to unite in protecting people and the environment and peaceful co-existence.
Stranded Three: Revive spiritual values in mankind and reconcile them with the evolution of reason, philosophy and faith.
The declaration project focuses on fundamental aspects of human behavior that favour peaceful interaction, with respect and appreciation to life; respect for self and individual identity, and a vision of community and society as a shared partnership.
The desire to eradicate negative stereotypes about Islam and Muslims that appear to be prevalent in the west, and to emphasize tolerance as a desirable principle for human relations, was responsible for the genesis of the message of Islam from Oman’s exhibition project. With the tolerance that defines Omani society and exist there as a central theme, the energy that fuels the message comes from a desire to promote constructive dialogue between the various religions and sects in the world, with the sultanate’s own well-established experience in religious tolerance, mutual understanding peaceful coexistence as a reference model. By early 2021, the exhibition had brought its message of hope to 133 locations around the world, including 96 overseas and 37 local hosting venues. It has engaged proactively with scientific and academic institutions, universities, and museum in
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many countries across the globe, most prominently United Nations and UNESCO. It has helped produce joint programmes in aspects of religious students, the Arabic language and other research fields. Academics and media figures of diverse nationality and faith have universally expressed their admiration for and endorsement of the exhibition, which travels under the title,” Message of Islam from Oman”. The efforts of the exhibition continue to pay off in unexpected ways. In one recent example, the German Ministry of immigration and Refugees approved the content of the exhibition as guiding material for its policies. Three German Schools in Bavaria adopted the spirit of the exhibition’s central theme as material by which to identify tolerance in Islam. German Navy distributed the copies of the exhibition contents, along with its accompanying documentary film, to its soldiers on ships for Somalia. UNESCO has hosted the exhibition at its headquarters three times in the space of two years. In Brazil the Brazilian government renamed the main square in the city of Foz do Iguacu “Oman Square” and in Uzbekistan has assigned the name, “Oman Hall” to one of its instruction theaters”. The US Department of State’s report on Religious Freedom in the world praised the role of the Message of Islam from Oman’s exhibition in spreading a culture of tolerance and changing negative stereotypes in the world. The report confirmed that the exhibition had the support of political, municipal, community and educational institutions around the world, suggesting that diplomacy in the Arab world and beyond was contributing significantly to the successful communication if the exhibition message of peace.
Large mosques as on November 2021
Smaller local masjid
Prayer hall
Total in Oman
1,450
14,134
880
16,464
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Oman has very good relations with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates Iran and other gulf-countries. Oman also has good relations with China, Russia, United States of America and European Union countries. Oman is active member of OIC. In a nutshell Oman’s policy of love, peace, tranquility and tolerance is highly appreciable and to be followed by others. Oman is Pakistan’s best friend and both countries are striving for the peace, development and promoting tolerance in the world and for the unity of Muslim Ummah. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was sent as the blessing for universe and for all human beings. It is the duty of every Muslim individually and collectively as ummah to promote the message of peace and blessings for all human beings according to the Seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) .