The first summit of OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) was held in Rabat (Morocco) in 1969 following the world-wide resentment of the Muslims over the burning of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The Israeli chauvinists burnt the holy place of Muslims, which offended Muslims. So, all the Muslim countries and leaders round up to take decision about the aftermath of the accident. The Rabat Summit had great significance in the Islamic history, because it was first time after the fall of Ottoman Empire that the entire Muslim world agreed to round up on one plate form to discuss the political situation of Islamic world. It was Rabat Summit which proved that it was not only the problem of Arab world but also concerned with Islamic world like Allah says in Quran “All Muslims are brothers” after the up and running of Jerusalem problem, the head of all Muslim state sent out a massage to Israel that they would water-down the decision in the favor of Arabs. The Rabat conference helped to boost up the morale of Arabs after their licking humiliation in the 1967 Arab-Israel War.

 

Mayhap, the important output of the Rabat conference was to bring about all Islamic countries at one platform to take vigorous decision about the manifold issues of 1000 million Muslims. We can say that it was Rabat summit which rose Arabs from ashes. The top brass and the stalwart of Islamic countries were agreeing to come out with the solution of the problems as soon as possible. On the pretext of security, it was decided that Jeddah would be the center of unity until Al-Qudas (Jerusalem) was liberated from Israeli occupation. They adopted a formal charter in which they agreed to cope with the Jerusalem problem and would make united struggle to liberate Al-Qudas from the draconian rule of Israel. The prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rehman became the secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Countries OIC.

 

In the meanwhile, India became a stumbling block in the way of Muslim unity and especially for Pakistan. Some Islamic countries showed soft spot for Indian presence but Pakistan surmised that it would not be a good omen which proved later too. Islamic countries also failed to develop broad based consensus between Pakistan and India. At the same time Arab leaders were particularly and King Faisal was especially in the favor the participation of Indian Muslims. Pakistan became a silent spectator at the beginning, but when India sent a Sikh person to present India in OIC, Pakistan rebuked India and many other counties also criticized the Sikh delegate in OIC to present Muslims. It clearly showed that it was not the participation of the Indian Muslims at Rabat conference; it was India who wanted to have a seat in the Islamic Bloc to counter Pakistan. Pakistan protested against Indian participation in OIC, because of the presence of India in OIC is the part and parcel of Indian foreign policy to create hurdles for Pakistan. It was the sound omen of Pakistani’s policy makers to throw out India from Islamic bloc, but there was some points which were not quite clear to them, like some Muslim majority countries had no Islamic ruler for instance in Africa and later Bangladesh.

 

Eventually, India thrown out from Islamic block of OIC and then specific criteria was put for the membership of OIC. Fortunately Pakistan got success in due time. Pakistan had nodding acquaintance with Indian participation but due to deficit of trust and Indian conspiracy Pakistan took decision that huge never ever India to grasp the nettle in Islamic world

 

The bottom line is that it was the Rabat Conference which buried the hatchet among Islamic countries which were present from the very inception of falling of Khilafat. Before this, no such event or summit was more operative and effective to round up the Muslim leaders on political platform. It was Rabat conference that ensured the unity of the Muslim world at very crucial time. All of Muslim countries relinquished their hatred to quell the Jerusalem problem, which later became the sign of unity of Muslim world.