As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, differences among peoples are more readily exposed and religion acts as a strong identity base that transcends boundaries. This, together with misinterpretations and manipulations of religious texts by those vying for political power and access to resources, has given rise to violence in the name of religion. Such exploitation of religion has blurred its moral and human character, further justifying the abuse of religion in the name of politics and violence.  In short, rather than being part of the solution, religion is increasingly viewed as a key instigator of conflict and division, and a driver of political instability and discrimination in the WANA region.