PUTRAJAYA: It is time for Muslim countries to come together and pool their resources for solutions to problems affecting the 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said that Muslims were now ending up as refugees and what was once considered sinful was now being accepted.

"There is no respect for institutions of marriage or the concept of families. No longer man and woman but marriage between men and between women. Adopted offspring are considered legitimate in these ‘families’.

"The Quran mentions justice but there is scant regard for justice. We are fond of making judgments and the severest of punishment. Muslims are now known for severity of punishment," said Dr Mahathir.

He also lamented that Muslims are no longer what they were long ago.

"Then we made great contributions and advances in science, astronomy and mathematics.

"We see Muslims being so harassed that they had to leave their own country to seek refuge in other countries.

"Why has Islam become a religion of terrorism?" asked Dr Mahathir.

He said this during a soft launch of the Kuala Lumpur Summit on Thursday (Dec 21), which will be held from Dec 18 to 21, gathering scholars and thinkers from five Muslim countries.

Heads of state from Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey will also be present at the summit.

"It is not easy (to solve the problems of Muslims) but a journey of a 1,000 miles begins with the first step. This (Kuala Lumpur Summit) may be the first step," said Dr Mahathir.