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The Muslim Council of Elders under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb strongly condemns the terrorist attacks targeting a mosque in the city of Peshawar in Pakistan which resulted in the deaths and injuries of scores of innocent civilians.

The Council reiterates its categorical rejection of such terrorist attacks and violence, which contradict the teachings of all religions as well as international laws and norms protecting freedom of religion and prohibiting the targeting of places of worship. This is something that has been reiterated within the Document on Human Fraternity, which was co-signed by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church which called on people to refrain from using the name of God to justify acts of murder, exile and terrorism.

The Muslim Council of Elders calls for united international efforts to uproot all forms of violence, extremism, hate and terrorism. It also extends its utmost condolences to the families of the victims of the attack while praying for a speedy recovery for the wounded.

’Basis of Understanding from Thought and Language’ by His Eminence Dr. Mustapha Benhamza on display at the Muslim Council of Elders’ stand at the Cairo International Book Fair 2023

’Great demand for the publication by visitors to the Cairo International Book Fair’

The book ’Basis of Understanding from Thought and Language’ by His Eminence Dr. Mustapha Benhamza, member of the Higher Scientific Council of Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders and President of the Ulema Council of Oujda in Morocco is available to visitors of the Muslim Council of Elders’ stand at the 54th Cairo International Book Fair. The book discusses the significance of focusing on the discrepancy between general awareness and understanding among people in the Islamic world. 

Likewise, the publication also explores the effects of misunderstanding spreading throughout society and the hate and hostility that arises from it. Additionally, it covers how to deal with misunderstandings by using a methodical strategy that ensures accurate reading and understanding of scientific and intellectual concerns. 

The author mentioned that his inspiration for this work was the current state of miscommunication and understanding among Muslims which troubles him greatly since he is witnessing first-hand how miscommunication is growing, escalating, and ultimately fueling Muslim people’s overwhelming hatred for one another.  The result of all this is to ignite a fierce competition and a violent conflict which is prevalent in many Muslim countries.

The author appeals to those considering the future of the Muslim world to make an intellectual contribution to understanding, eliminating, and eradicating miscommunication. Additionally, he calls on those with influence to educate people about the gravity and magnitude miscommunication and to persuade them that the Muslim world’s future depends on its ability to uphold both its diverse and divisive elements.

The three main topics covered in ’Basis of Understanding from Thought and Language’ are; ‘Scientific Fundamentals of Understanding’, ‘Obstacles to Understanding among Muslims’ and ‘Dysfunctions in reading texts’.

The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair is located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ stand at the Cairo International Book Fair is exhibiting one of the Council’s latest translated publications ‘Countering Islamophobia in Europe’ by Ian Law, Amina Easat-Daas, Arzu Merali and Salman Sayyid. 

Following the publishing of the cartoons insulting the Prophet of Islam, Muhammed (PBUH) the inspiration to publish the book arose. The Muslim Council of Elders convened to discuss these unfortunate incidents and potential solutions to the problems it had caused. The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb queried about voices of reason in the West, specifically academic intellectuals who oppose ongoing provocations that defame Islam and its messenger. Al Hokama Publishing chose to translate and distribute ‘Countering Islamophobia in Europe’ for Arab readers in an effort to emphasize the contributions of Western rationalists and thinkers in stemming the growth of hate speech and Islamophobia in Europe. This despicable phenomenon is frequently encouraged by global media outlets and political parties who put their interests and electoral success ahead of fostering a coexistent society.

‘Countering Islamophobia in Europe’ draws on new evidence from eight national contexts to provide an innovative kit of counter-narratives, which were presented and well received at the European Parliament in September 2018, and subsequently launched across Europe in national workshops in selected states.

The book discusses Islamophobia and possible ways to counter it in various European states including; the United Kingdom, Greece, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Portugal, France, Belgium and Germany. It also provides a “New Counter-Islamophobia Kit” for readers, intellectuals and organizations looking to counter this discriminatory phenomenon.

The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair is located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.

The Emerging Peacemakers Forum organized an interactive workshop titled ‘Peace and Love’ at the Muslim Council of Elders’ stand at the Cairo International Book Fair which was presented by forum member Meera Al Mheiri from the United Arab Emirates. The workshop discussed various topics including promoting inter-cultural relations, peace and human fraternity.

During the workshop, four groups of males and females of various ethnicities who had never met before were formed. This was done to assist them meet new people, form new connections, and receive training in how to put a set of human principles into practice in order to spread and advance the values of coexistence and peace in their societies.

“How do you define peace?” was a key question in the interactive workshop. This was done so that each participant can share a personal experience with their fellow group members. Participants would then comment on this based on their observations in order to learn and build on the scenario.

During the workshop, each group also presented their respective projects and ideas for promoting peace as well as intercultural harmony and human fraternity in society.

The Emerging Peacemakers Forum is considered one of the most prominent initiatives by the Muslim Council of Elders in partnership with Al-Azhar and the Church of England. It features young people from the East and West brought together to discuss their respective roles in creating peace and justice as well as spreading the values of tolerance and coexistence.

The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair is located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.

The Muslim Council of Elders has hosted the fourth seminar at its stand at the Cairo International Book Fair 2023. Titled ‘A step towards promoting Human Fraternity’, the seminar was presented by Dr. Nahla Al Saidi, advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for International Student Affairs, who discussed ways to promote coexistence and human fraternity. 

During the seminar, Al Saidi remarked, “Achieving human fraternity entails working to create societies free of wars and conflicts as well as having peaceful individuals who live in harmony with one another. It also involves recognizing that the only way to bring about global peace and human fraternity is to uphold the lofty ideals of Islam and its divine law, which call for mercy and interdependence. I call for Humanity to unite to disseminate those ideals and values among people, and to aid those attempting to doing so.”

The advisor to the Grand Imam for International Student Affairs added, “The Document on Human Fraternity which was co-signed on the 4th of February 2019 by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders along with His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church in Abu Dhabi is filled with ideals that can guide humanity towards achieving world peace and happiness for individuals and societies alike, to go with reawakening religious conviction within people.”

Al Saidi continued, “The Document on Human Fraternity urged people to adopt the values of mercy, justice, and tolerance and warned us that the world we live in is not a place for conflict, disharmony, and war but for cooperation and acquaintance. For the document to become a reality in our lives, the entire world must adopt it wholeheartedly.”

She concluded by emphasizing the important role of religious and cultural institutions as well as thinkers and academics in spreading coexistence and promoting human fraternity for the sake of global peace. She also thanked Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders for their efforts in making human fraternity a global reality.

The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair is located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.

The book ‘Concepts that need to be rectified in conduct, mind, and belief’ by Sheikh Muhammad Abu Zahra, one of the senior scholars of Al-Azhar, is available to visitors of the Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the 54th Cairo International Book Fair.

Sheikh Muhammad Abu Zahra’s essays as well as previously released pieces from magazines and newspapers are all included in the book. The majority of these writings center on extremism and other vague ideas that sparked divisions among the Muslim world.

The Muslim Council of Elders hopes that by publishing this book, it will help to dispel many current misconceptions and uphold the moral principles of the Noble Qur’an and Sunnah. In order to arrive to truth and certainty, the book also serves as a manual for the purification of the mind, soul, and conduct.

The book includes many topics, the most prominent of which; the correct faith, faith and exaggeration in religion, reform and admiration for opinion, chaos of thought and opinion, integrity of the science of religion, treatment of deviation, fanaticism in understanding religion and delusion in understanding religion.

The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair can be located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.

The Muslim Council of Elders is set to launch its stand at the Cairo International Book Fair which opens its doors to the general public on Thursday 26 January until Monday 6 February 2023. The participation is set to include over 140 publications, including 10 new books that address various important intellectual issues, correcting misconceptions, combating hate speech, racism and intolerance while providing possible solutions to confront them. This goes with promoting dialogue between East and West and consolidating coexistence among all people.

Prominent publications at the Cairo International Book Fair include ‘Al Qawl Al Tayeb’ and ‘Elements of Islam’ by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders as well as ‘The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path’ by the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, ‘Fatwa and Principles’ by Dr. Ahmad Mabad Abdul Karim, ‘Methodology of Thinking in Faith’ by Imad Khafaji as well as ‘Islam, the West and Tolerance: Conceiving Coexistence’ by Dr. Aaron Tyler, Professor of International Relations and Global Affairs at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas.

The stand will also include new publications by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders which emphasize Islam’s tolerance and the depth of its philosophical and intellectual traditions. These include: ‘Elements of Islam’, ‘Al-Azhar Methodology’, ‘Theological and Sufi Terminology’, ‘Insights on the Thought of Imam Al-Ash’ari’, ‘Heritage and Renewal: Discussions and Responses’, ‘Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah’, ‘Hadith on the Causes and Purposes, ‘Good Saying’, ‘Religion is Easy’ and ‘Morals and Values’.

As part of its continued cultural and academic role, the Council will also display new books at its stand at the Cairo International Book Fair. A number of these are set to be translated works including; ‘Religious Tolerance in World Religions’ Bruce Chilton and Jacob Neusner as well as ‘Countering Islamophobia in Europe’ by Ian Law, Amina Easat-Daas, Arzu Merali, S. Sayyid.

A number of philosophers, professionals, and clerics will participate in a series of seminars organized by the Council’s stand at the Cairo International Book Fair that address social peace, the duties of global citizenship, and the promotion of human fraternity and peaceful coexistence among different people.

The upcoming participation at the Cairo International Book Fair comes as part of His Eminence the Grand Imam’s vision of promoting dialogue and spreading tolerance and peace globally as well as building bridges of cooperation with people of all backgrounds. The Council’s participation at the Cairo International Book Fair can be located in Hall 4 next to the Al-Azhar stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center.

Islam raised the status of knowledge and science, acknowledging them as cornerstones of civilizations and a pathway to their advancement and success. Almighty Allah said, “Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and raise those gifted with knowledge in rank. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (Al-Mujadila:11) as well as “Are those who know equal to those who do not know? None will be mindful of this except people of reason” (Al Zumar: 9). Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) also said, “Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him” (Sahih Muslim).

The Muslim Council of Elders is focused on supporting educational opportunities and initiatives. It strives to promote and encourage education through its publications, worldwide initiatives, events, and projects. In order to safeguard young people from extremism and radicalization and to advance their understanding of the ideals of righteousness, peace, and tolerance, the Muslim Council of Elders and its members across the world have made significant efforts in this regard in their capacities as scholars and educators.

The Document on Human Fraternity’s noble ideals and values were promoted through several educational curricula by the Muslim Council of Elders. Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Italy, America, Timor-Leste, and other nations have adopted these values to spread the principles of peace and coexistence inside their respective educational curricula.

The Council calls on individuals, international organizations, and institutions to unite in order to spread awareness of the value of learning and to increase collaborative efforts to end illiteracy. This will enable future generations to learn more, particularly about the principles of human fraternity and peace as well as dispelling misconceptions, and battling hate speech, intolerance, and discrimination.

To answer calls by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders to promote inter-Islamic dialogue

Muslim Council of Elders concludes trip to Iraq which featured a number of meetings with prominent religious leaders and scholars

The visit included a number of meetings with prominent Sunni and Shia religious leaders and scholars

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam: Visit paves the way for a constructive dialogue which can lead to inter-Islamic understanding

Cooperation between the Council and organizations representing all facets of Iraqi society to promote religious fraternity and coexistence

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders has concluded a 4-day trip to Iraq which included a number of meetings with prominent Sunni and Shia religious leaders and scholars in Baghdad, Najaf and Erbil. The visit aimed to build productive channels of dialogue with all facets of Iraqi society and heed the call by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Council to promote inter-Islamic dialogue.

The visit began with the Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shaiyaa Al Sudani hosting the Council’s delegation and its Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam in the capital Baghdad. Al Sudani praised the Council’s role under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb in combatting extremism and uniting the Muslim world. For his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam expressed the Council’s appreciation of all facets of Iraqi society for their ability to defeat terrorism through unity. Abdelsalam noted that the coming period will see more cooperation between the Council and Iraqi institutions that represent all components of Iraqi society through a wide-range of initiatives that promote religious fraternity and coexistence on local and international levels.

The Council’s delegation also met a number of prominent Sunni scholars from the Sunni Endowment Office in Iraq headed by Dr. Mishaan Al-Khazraji where both parties discussed the most pressing issues facing the Arab and Muslim worlds. The delegation also visited the Fiqh Academy of Iraq at the Abu Hanifa Mosque where they were met by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Hassan Taha, the Academy’s head. This was followed by a visit to the Scholars League Association in Iraq where a meeting took place with His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Abdelaziz Al Sheikh Hamad, President of the Scholars League Association. The delegation expressed the Council’s pride at Iraq and its historic role in nurturing Islamic scholars.

In Najaf, the Council’s delegation met a number of Hawza scholars and academics as well as university professors at the Al-Khoei Institute after an invitation from Sayyed Jawad Al-Khoei, the Secretary-General of the Institute. The meeting discussed ways to connect with fellow Muslims and Arabs with a shared culture and language and to discuss mutual challenges facing the Muslim world. The delegation also met His Eminence Sayed Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalai, the official representative of Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani. During the meeting, Judge Abdelsalam stressed the honest invitation by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders to conduct an inter-Islamic dialogue, which is the basis of the Council’s message of uniting the Muslim world while expressing his appreciation of the efforts of His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani to unite the people of Iraq. For his part, His Eminence Sayed Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalai expressed his happiness at meeting the Council’s delegation which he felt is a positive step towards enhancing Sunni-Shia relations and opening unlimited lines of communication since such meetings reflect a mutual respect between official religious organizations. The official representative of Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani also passed on the greetings of the Grand Ayatollah to His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders.

In Erbil, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam along with the travelling delegation met Dr. Pshtiwan Sadiq, Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government who praised the Muslim Council of Elders’ role in spreading coexistence, dialogue and correcting misconceptions. The delegation also met with the President of the Kurdistan Scholars Union as well as Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda, Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil and His Beatitude Mor Nicodemos Daoud Matti Sharaf, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop at the Syriac Orthodox Church along with various religious leaders to reiterate the important role of religious leaders in promoting coexistence.

The delegation also met His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq. During the meeting, Judge Abdelsalam stressed the important role that religious organizations can play in spreading tolerance, citizenship and coexistence. He also praised the Chaldean Catholic Church and Christians in Iraq for their patriotic actions as important members of Iraqi society. Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako praised the Council’s role under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb in spreading dialogue and coexistence. He also noted the strong relationship between His Eminence the Grand Imam and His Holiness Pope Francis of the Catholic Church which is a great example of being able to overcome challenges for the sake of achieving true peace amongst humanity.

Commenting on the visit to Iraq, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders said, “This visit represents a launching point for a serious and effective dialogue with all facets of Iraqi society as per the call of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders to promote inter-Islamic dialogue and unity. The visit targeted building bridges of communication for a larger-scale dialogue in the future that can lead to new understanding. I am immensely proud of the great Iraqi nation’s positive growth and development, as it is a fundamental pillar of the Arab world.”

The visit comes following calls by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb to Muslim scholars around the world to partake in a serious inter-Islamic dialogue for the purpose of unity and acquaintance and to combat sectarian division and sedition. The Grand Imam had urged that for dialogue to be established it must be based on a single golden rule: to excuse each other’s differences in order to overcome any form of hate speech, intimidation and all forms of conflict whether historical or current.

Under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the Muslim Council of Elders is an independent international organization that promotes peace in Muslim communities by discouraging conflict and other issues that lead to divisiveness. Founded in Abu Dhabi in2014, the Council is comprised of various Muslim scholars who are known for their wisdom, justice, independence, and moderateness. It strives to represent all the forms of Muslim communities and encourages reconciliation to prevent foreign intervention, divisiveness and conflict.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam along with a delegation from the Council have met Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda, Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil to coordinate efforts based on coexistence. 

During the meeting, Archbishop Warda expressed his appreciation of the Council’s role in promoting dialogue and human fraternity. 

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam remarked that the strong relations between His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders with His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church serve as a unique model of interreligious relations. Judge Abdelsalam also praised the positive role played by Christians in Kurdistan in promoting coexistence.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ delegation also met His Beatitude Mor Nicodemos Daoud Matti Sharaf, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop at the Syriac Orthodox Church in Erbil. During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance and communication. 

The Muslim Council of Elders’ delegation, headed by the Secretary-General of the Council Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam visited Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, the third leg of a trip to Iraq which also included Baghdad and Najaf. The trip featured a number of meetings with prominent religious leaders and scholars.