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His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, extends his heartfelt condolences to the Republic of Türkiye—its leadership and people—for the victims of the tragic incident that occurred following the crash of a military cargo plane, which resulted in a number of fatalities.

His Eminence expresses his deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims, praying to Almighty Allah to bestow mercy upon the deceased, envelop them in His vast forgiveness, grant fortitude to the hearts of their families and relatives, and bestow upon them patience and solace.

Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.

The Muslim Council of Elders is participating in the 44th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025, held at Expo Centre Sharjah from November 5 to 16, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote dialogue, enhance peace, and entrench values of coexistence and human fraternity among followers of religions and cultures worldwide.

This year, the Council’s pavilion features a distinguished collection of intellectual and cultural publications, exceeding 250 titles in more than 5 languages. Among them are over 30 works by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, including prominent titles such as ‘Al-Qawl Al-Tayyib’, ‘Manners and Values’, ‘From My Old Notebooks’, and others that highlight the tolerance of the noble Islamic faith and its teachings, alongside issues of religious extremism and its dimensions, peace and East-West dialogue, and various jurisprudential and life-related matters.

The pavilion also showcases important publications by Council members and leading thinkers, including: ‘Love in the Holy Quran’ by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad; ‘The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path’ by Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam; ‘Rules of Understanding and Mutual Comprehension from Thought and Language’ by Dr. Mustafa Benhamza; ‘Muslims at the Crossroads’ by Dr. Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzuq; and ‘Problems of the Ummah’s Division into Sunnis and Shiites: Roots and Solutions’ by Dr. Elias Belka.

The Council is scheduled to host a series of cultural and intellectual events during the fair aimed at promoting a culture of dialogue and openness. These will include presentations of recent publications from Al-Hokamaa Publishing that highlight the Council’s global initiatives in the fields of peace and interfaith dialogue.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair stems from its commitment to active engagement in intellectual and academic forums, enhancing the cultural role of moderate Islamic institutions, spreading the message of moderation and tolerance, entrenching values of dialogue and understanding, and activating the contributions of scholars and thinkers in building more aware, peaceful, and harmonious societies worldwide. The Council’s pavilion is located at Expo Centre Sharjah, Hall 5, Pavilion L8.

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, received His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium to discuss ways to strengthen mutual cooperation.

During the meeting, His Eminence affirmed that the Document on Human Fraternity, co-signed by him with the late Pope Francis, addresses the challenges facing humanity and serves as a guide directing people to values of mercy and goodness, rescuing modern humans from the crises and challenges surrounding them.

His Eminence explained that Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders work to counter the rigid ideas promoted by various extremist groups—falsely attributing themselves to Islam—through various efforts, initiatives, and conferences aimed at correcting misconceptions and spreading enlightened moderate thought.

For his part, His Majesty the King of Belgium expressed his sincere appreciation for the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and His Eminence’s efforts in spreading global peace, as well as his gratitude for the warm reception he received. He affirmed his delight in this meeting, which takes place in an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect, featuring deep dialogue on various issues related to establishing peace, spreading values of understanding and coexistence among peoples, enhancing dialogue among followers of religions, and entrenching concepts of human dignity as a fundamental basis for building a more just and cooperative world.

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, received Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, accompanied by Archbishop Nicolas Thevenin, the Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt.

During the meeting, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra conveyed greetings from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Pope of the Catholic Church, to His Eminence the Grand Imam, expressing His Holiness’s anticipation to meet him, wishing him continued health and well-being, and looking forward to ongoing cooperation with Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders in spreading the message of peace and fraternity to the entire world.

The Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See expressed his delight in meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and his appreciation for His Eminence’s efforts in establishing values of global peace and human fraternity. He affirmed that the historic Document on Human Fraternity, signed by His Eminence with the late Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi, will remain etched in history forever, representing the convergence of religions in spreading values of goodness. He also confirmed that His Eminence’s vision on current affairs aligns with that of Pope Leo XIV, underscoring the necessity of continued joint work for the benefit of humanity.

For his part, His Eminence the Grand Imam affirmed the depth of the relations connecting Al-Azhar, the Muslim Council of Elders, and the Vatican, which were greatly strengthened during the era of the late Pope Francis. “From the first moment we met, we sensed his love for peace and his commitment to dialogue. We have also sensed the same in His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the Pontiff of the Catholic Church, through our phone conversation, his words, and his stances toward the oppressed. We look forward to continuing cooperation between Al-Azhar, the Muslim Council of Elders, and the Vatican to spread the message of peace, fraternity, and dialogue among all.”

At the end of the meeting, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar requested that the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Vatican convey His Eminence’s invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit Al-Azhar.

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, has received Dr. Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Singapore’s Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Member of Parliament, accompanied by Ambassador Dominic Goh, Singapore’s Ambassador to Egypt, to discuss strengthening joint scientific and da’wah relations.

During the meeting, His Eminence expressed his appreciation for the Republic of Singapore, affirming readiness to study the establishment of Azhar institutes in Singapore under the supervision of the relevant authorities, in addition to creating a center for teaching the Arabic language to serve Singapore’s citizens in learning the language of the Holy Quran. This includes hosting Singaporean imams and training them at the Al-Azhar International Academy for Imam Training, honing their skills in refuting extremist thought, to revive the authentic Islamic teachings that call for spreading fraternity and peace, extending societal stability and security, and promoting positive integration among all components of society.

For his part, Singapore’s Minister for Muslim AffairsMinister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs expressed his nation’s appreciation for the efforts of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders in establishing values of peace and fraternity and entrenching interfaith dialogue. He noted that Al-Azhar graduates in Singapore enjoy a prestigious status and hold high positions in various ministries and institutions, pointing out that most—if not all—of the muftis in Singapore received their education at Al-Azhar which confirms Singapore’s confidence in Azhar education as a global beacon that enhances societal peace.

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders: The Resilience of Human Conscience in the Face of Massacres Is Humanity’s Last Hope

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: I Commend the HonorableStances of Free People Around the World Whose Voices Rose in Condemnation of the Gaza Massacres That Broke the Heart of Humanity 

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: There Can Be No Peace in the Middle East Without the Establishment of an Independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as Its Capital

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: I Salute the Nations That Recognized the State of Palestine; Their Courage Embodies the Awakening of Human Conscience

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: Wretched Is a Freedom That Denies the Weak Their Sacred Right to Life on Their Land

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: The World Must Subject Technology to the Values of Justice and Human Conscience

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: The Document on Human Fraternity, Which I Co-signed with My Late Brother Pope Francis, Embodied the Conscience of the Free World

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: We Are Working with the Holy See to Issue a Global Charter for the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: No Peace Without Justice,and No Justice Amid the Domination of the Arms Industry

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: Senseless Wars Have Exposed the Collapse of the Global Ethical Order

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: The World Is Collapsing Morally When Values Are Severed from Faith, and Racism and Tyranny Have Fatally Wounded International Justice

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar: Peace Cannot Be Built on the Ruins of Injustice, and Global Crises Have Revealed the Bankruptcy of Modern Human Conscience

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, participated in the “Daring Peace” global summit organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome, in the presence of President of Italy Sergio Mattarella, Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium, and prominent religious leaders and academics from around the world.

In his address, His Eminence affirmed that absolute justice is the golden rule upon which the heavens and the earth were established. Allah made it the guarantor of human rights to equality, freedom, dignity, security, peace, and human fraternity among people, despite differences in race, gender, color, religion, and language.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar explained that the deliberate neglect of these values by contemporary civilization has led to senseless wars imposed on impoverished nations lacking the means to repel aggressors—those hardened in heart, devoid of conscience, and contemptuous of human dignity and the sanctity that Allah warned against violating in His heavenly scriptures and sacred revelation. This neglect has also caused economic crises such as poverty, unemployment, and famine; a divided world with a wealthy, indulgent North and a South burdened by wars, hunger, debt, disease, and epidemics; and environmental crises resulting from the depletion of natural resources, along with other disruptions to life and its hardships.

His Eminence added that social crises now stalk nations, tampering with their beliefs, sanctities, and religious and moral constants. They relentlessly target the family institution, promoting aberrant alternatives rejected by religions and ethics, repugnant to sound human sensibilities, and contrary to the innate disposition inherited by humanity since the time of Adam (PBUH) to this day.

His Eminence clarified that what humanity lacks in this era is the “ethics of justice and fairness.” Their absence has caused severe disruption in concepts and standards distinguishing good from evil, beauty from ugliness, and right from wrong. It has become commonplace to see injustice cloaked in the guise of law, domination and hegemony imposed on the poor and weak in the name of the global order, and tragedies and violations of sanctities justified under the pretext of interests and objectives.

The Grand Imam noted that the wars afflicting our once-secure East offer a profound lesson. Once their initial sparks ignite, they unleash a cascade of horrors and atrocities: homes demolished upon their inhabitants, thousands of women, elderly, and youth displaced, children starved to death, and human dignity violated with impunity—before the eyes and ears of a “civilized” world in the twenty-first century. Wretched is a freedom that denies the weak their sacred right to life on their land, and wretched is a justice that permits and rationalizes such abominations.

His Eminence expressed gratitude to the nations that recognized the State of Palestine during recent United Nations General Assembly, stating: “I cannot overlook, in this context, expressing sincere appreciation to the nations that have taken the initiative to recognize the State of Palestine. I salute them for this courage, which embodies the awakening of human conscience and its triumph for the usurped Palestinian right. We all hope this recognition becomes a practical step toward enabling the Palestinian people to attain their legitimate rights, foremost among them the establishment of their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.” He noted that the international community today agrees that the two-state solution is the only path to peace in the region and the world, and that there can be no peace in the Middle East without the establishment of a Palestinian state. He also expressed appreciation for the honorable stances of free people worldwide—women, men, children, and elders in many nations—whose voices rose in condemnation of the massacres in Gaza, which broke the heart of humanity, slaughtered its conscience, and darkened the pages of modern history.

His Eminence affirmed that this scene, which has lasted over two years, reveals a grave flaw in the structure of the international system and profound disorder in its policies. International peace has become hostage to balances of power and their arrogance, the arms trade and its profits, and wars and their economies—all detached from the scale of truth and fairness, the call of duty and conscience, the inclinations of innate human nature with which Allah created people, and the logic of reason, which Allah made the most equitable distribution among humanity.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar stressed that these compound crises, reveal a severe disruption in the global order, causing it to lose its true direction and emboldening it to apply double standards—or a hundred standards if necessary. This affliction, can only be explained by odious racism and tyranny on earth—fundamentally contradicting the laws of “absolute justice” established by the Islam I believe in, as well as all prior divine messages. Great philosophers from Plato and Aristotle, through Al-Farabi and Ibn Rushd, to contemporary European thinkers, believed in the ethics of duty and the eternal human conscience.

His Eminence continued: “We must recognize that when justice is absent, oppression takes its place. With the injustices inflicted on people, values vanish, and humanity loses its essence beneath the feet of base material interests, false bravado, and predatory greed. When the weak are robbed of their rights and the oppressor is honored for seizing them, when a human being becomes a trivial number in political calculations and a cheap commodity in the marketplace, we realize that truth has set, and the world is plunging into a moral void foreboding the collapse of systems before their values and ethics.”

The Grand Imam added: “For this reason, Al-Azhar, the Muslim Council of Elders, and the Holy See came together to launch the historic Document on Human Fraternity, which I co-signed with my late brother, His Holiness Pope Francis, in Abu Dhabi in 2019. We clarified that peace is not a negative state defined by the absence of weapons—something unattainable in any case—but a positive, existential reality embodied in the presence of justice. We explained that justice is not the victory of one party over another, but the triumph of humanity over impulses of selfishness, domination, and material greed that control our social, economic, and behavioral stage.”

His Eminence also drew attention to the fact that artificial intelligence has become one of the driving forces creating significant change in societies. Therefore, we bear an ethical duty to harness this technology to build a more equitable and just future for humanity. We must realize that safeguarding our values and spiritual and religious heritage in the use of this new technology is not a luxury but a profound ethical commitment and major human responsibility. “We stand today at a civilizational crossroads: either we allow this new invention to entrench civilizational and moral regression, or we use it as a force to correct the human course.”

His Eminence continued: “I had begun, with my late brother Pope Francis, drafting a charter for the ethics of artificial intelligence. However, due to his illness and passing, the completion of this important document was delayed. Today, joint teams from Al-Azhar, the Holy See, and the Muslim Council of Elders are working to finalize it, to serve as a global ethical and human reference regulating the proper relationship between humans and the modern technologies they create, ensuring that artificial intelligence remains a servant of humanity, not a sword turned against it.”

The Grand Imam concluded by affirming that the world today is in dire need of justice to restore its tranquillity and a revived human conscience that recognizes that injustice—no matter how small—is a spark capable of igniting conflict anywhere. Every person wronged in this world is an unhealing wound in the body of humanity as a whole. This world will not rise unless it believes that justice is the supreme law of life and that peace is its natural fruit. He added that the root of today’s corruption lies in severing ethics from faith and attempting to preserve ethics while excluding faith. When divine religion ceases to guide ethics, ethics become subject to the winds, tools for conflict, greed, and the crushing of the poor and weak.

Italian President: We Value the Efforts of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders in Promoting Peace and Strengthening Interfaith Dialogue

Italian President to Participants at the “Daring Peace” Conference in Rome: I Remind You of the Grand Imam’s Words on the Need to Raise the Banner of Peace Instead of Victory, and the Courage Required to Achieve True Peace

Italian President Sergio Mattarella expressed deep appreciation for His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and his outstanding role in promoting a culture of peace, reinforcing human fraternity, and entrenching values of positive coexistence and acceptance of others during his address at the opening session of the “Daring Peace” international meeting organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome.

In his remarks, the Italian President quoted several statements by His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar on peace, saying: “I wish to recall the words of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, who emphasized the need to promote human fraternity and entrench interfaith dialogue. He stressed that we must all raise the banner of peace among all people, rather than the banner of victory; that we must give precedence to the voice of reason and wisdom; that we must come together at the table of dialogue; and that we must show the courage to achieve genuine peace.”

The Italian President underscored the importance of heeding the voices of religious leaders and figures of wisdom, such as His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. He also commended the historic Document on Human Fraternity, co-signed by His Eminence with the late Pope Francis, and affirmed that the force of domination and control must be countered with the quiet strength and spiritual authority of religious institutions. He further emphasized the need to amplify this voice to secure peace and foster a future free from conflict and war for generations to come.

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders Calls for Establishing a Committee of African Figures and Prominent Religious Leaders to Ease Crises and Conflicts in the Sahel and Horn of Africa

Former President of Niger Committed to Cooperating with Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders to Promote Human Fraternity in Africa

Former President of Niger Praises the Grand Imam’s Efforts in Entrenching Dialogue and Peace

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, affirmed that the world is currently passing through a phase of turmoil and the erosion of standards, becoming more violent and distanced from the human values that form the essence of religions. He noted that Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders remain steadfast in fulfilling their mission to spread peace and coexistence among peoples, despite the escalating conflicts facing the world.

During a meeting with Mahamadou Issoufou, former President of Niger and member of the Muslim Council of Elders, the Grand Imam stated that hope for achieving peace and human coexistence remains alive, even amid the chaos and dominance of materialistic civilization. He pointed to a faint light at the end of a dark tunnel that occasionally emerges to renew hope in the ability to halt wars and conflicts—particularly following the recognition of the Palestinian state by several countries and the Sharm El Sheikh peace agreement to end the aggression against innocent civilians in Gaza.

Regarding Africa, His Eminence proposed the formation of a committee composed of prominent African figures and religious leaders who are well-known for their wisdom, integrity, and commitment to dialogue. The committee’s mission would be to alleviate crises and conflicts in the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions. He also affirmed the readiness of Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders to fully support the committee’s work and initiatives, serving the future of the “Golden Continent,” enhancing the utilization of its resources, and reinforcing unity and shared solidarity.

For his part, the former President of Niger expressed his appreciation for His Eminence’s global efforts in promoting peace and human fraternity, as well as presenting the true image of Islam. He commended the endeavors of Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders in advancing dialogue and peace, emphasizing that this role has become increasingly vital amid the wars and crises afflicting the world—particularly in Gaza, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa. He also noted that the world is currently experiencing a genuine crisis of values.

The former President of Niger welcomed the Grand Imam’s proposal to establish a committee of African elders to defuse conflicts and tensions that some seek to ignite among neighboring African nations. He stressed that peace is the fundamental pillar of stability and development, and that eradicating poverty and disease in Africa will only be achieved by entrenching peace. He urged His Eminence to intensify visits to African nations to deliver a message of peace to its peoples and support nations facing instability.

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders is set to travel to Rome on an official visit to participate in the international meeting “Daring Peace” which will be organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio from October 26 to 28, 2025. The event will bring together prominent leaders and decision-makers, including *His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Pontiff of the Catholic Church; Italian President Sergio Mattarella; Queen Mathilde of Belgium; and various groups of religious leaders, thinkers, and intellectuals from around the world.

His Eminence is scheduled to deliver a keynote address during the meeting’s opening session, in which he will underscore the critical importance of achieving *peace rooted in justice and the ethical and human responsibility of religious leaders to actively work toward ending conflicts, wars, and disputes.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Pontiff of the Catholic Church as well as other leading religious figures, faith leaders, and thinkers in attendance. Discussions will also address the most pressing contemporary religious and international issues, amplifying the voice of religions to halt the crises, wars, and conflicts currently afflicting the world—most notably the aggression against Gaza and the West Bank—while reaffirming the essential role of the Sharm El Sheikh peace agreement as a foundational step toward establishing lasting security and stability in the region and beyond.