The General Assembly of Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) that brought together some of the renowned figures of the Muslim world, opened in Istanbul on Saturday.

During the six-day convention, the union will elect a new leader and new board members. It will also discuss challenges the world and the Muslim world in particular face.

In a speech addressing the convention that brings together more than 1,500 scholars from dozens of countries, Ali Erbaş, head of Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs (DİB) said Muslims must work together to build a better future through "a realistic, constructive and holistic approach and a persuasive way."

He said Muslims across the globe are going through some difficult and uneasy processes due to the wars, poverty and terrorism.

In his speech, Erbaş also touched upon the importance of bringing Muslim scholars together to support each other and cooperate in areas like religious education, dissemination of religious knowledge, religious services for women, family and youth.

He added that terrorist organizations like the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), the PKK, Daesh, al-Shabaab and Boko Haram are "damaging Muslims, our unity and future."

The chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Yousef al-Qaradawi said: "We pray that Turkey can become the administrative center of the Islamic world once again." He accused the West of plotting against Turkey to derail its advancement.

"Turkey is facing plots by those who don't like to see this nation [rising] and by the West," he said. "They would have succeeded [in their plots] but for Allah's support for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his brothers," he said. "Allah will help Erdoğan to emerge victorious as long as true Muslims are standing by him," al-Qaradawi added.

The IUMS chairman said the Islamic world has gone through many calamities. "The Turks have been fought against because they defended the Islamic nation," he said and went on to applaud the major developments Turkey has achieved under Erdoğan's leadership.