JEDDAH, 19 May — Khaled Al-Maeena, editor in chief of Arab News, has called on Muslims to follow the teachings of the Holy Qur’an in all walks of life, saying it contains solutions to all their problems. “The Qur’an is the word of God. It’s the panacea for human problems. It was sent for our guidance, not for keeping on top of our cupboards,” Al-Maeena said. He was addressing the concluding ceremony of a month-long campaign organized by the Islamic Call & Guidance Center at King Fahd Hospital Research Center Auditorium in Jeddah. Al-Maeena blasted the smear campaign against the Qur’an after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and urged Muslims to study the holy book thoroughly so as to be able to counter such vicious attacks. “We have to learn the Qur’an and practice its teachings in order to become better Muslims.” In his keynote speech, Al-Maeena emphasized the growing significance of Islam as a universal religion. “Islam by itself is strong. It does not need our support. It’s we, the Muslims, who need Islam, not the opposite. The more we adhere to Islamic teachings, the better our situation will become.” Highlighting the challenges being faced by Muslims, the editor in chief urged the community to arm themselves by gaining knowledge and mastering science and technology. “The worldwide campaigns against the Qur’an will only strengthen our faith in the word of God. Nobody can shatter our confidence,” Al-Maeena said before urging Muslims to learn the Qur’an from its original Arabic text with the help of scholars and authentic translations. “They say the Qur’an is obsolete, that it’s not good for this century, promotes violence and so on. We have to have thorough knowledge to defend our religion. We have to convince others that Islam and the Qur’an stand for peace and justice.” The Qur’an awareness campaign, which started on April 18, targeted the Indian expatriate workers from the state of Kerala. A variety of programs, including seminars and contests, were held to promote interest among the public in studying the Qur’an. K.K. Abdullah of the Faisal Islamic Bank, who highlighted the transformation brought about by the Qur’an, said the message of the holy book was meant for the whole of humanity. “The Qur’an was instrumental in developing a full-fledged civilization,” he added. Sheikh Walid Hossam of the Call & Guidance Center at Jeddah Industrial City called upon every Muslim to play his or her role in spreading the message of Islam. “We Muslims have to mold our lives in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an,” he added. C.K. Muhammad Najeeb, who presided over the function, urged Muslims to seek guidance from the divine light of the Qur’an. Dr. Raju Abraham of Jeddah National Hospital said he was highly impressed by the Qur’anic teachings that promote spirituality and call for helping the poor. He hoped that these kinds of events would help promote communal amity. E.S. Abdussalam, the campaign’s convener, said the organizers had distributed among expatriates thousands of copies of six booklets in Malayalam on different topics, including the Qur’an & science and the Qur’an & modern world. An essay competition for non-Muslims on the subject “Qur’an in my view” was one of the campaign highlights. A 248-page souvenir containing valuable articles on the Qur’an and its relevance was also distributed, and there were special seminars and Qur’an contests for women. The winners of various contests were given prizes at the concluding ceremony.