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Dr. Ahmed Al-Haddad, Member of the Muslim Council of Elders: The Unity of the Muslim Ummah is a Religious Necessity to Address Contemporary Challenges
 
Dr. Ahmed Al-Haddad: The Muslim Council of Elders is Making Diligent Efforts to Unify the Ranks of the Muslim Ummah
 
Dr. Ahmed Al-Haddad: The Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference Represented a Qualitative Leap Towards Unifying the Word of Muslims Under the ‘Call for the People of Qiblah’
 
As part of its cultural and intellectual activities at the 34th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders organized a seminar titled “Intra-Islamic Dialogue: One Nation and One Shared Destiny.” The seminar was presented by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Haddad, member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Senior Mufti and Director of the Fatwa Department in Dubai, and member of the UAE Fatwa Council.
 
At the outset of the seminar, Dr. Al-Haddad emphasized that the unity of the Muslim Ummah is a fundamental pillar for achieving peace and stability. He pointed out that division and fragmentation open the doors to destruction, strife, and intellectual invasion. He clarified that the unity of the Muslim Ummah is a divine mandate outlined in the Glorious Quran and advocated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), where Allah Almighty commands the believers to hold fast to His rope and not be divided, as stated in the verse: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” (The Quran, 3:103).
 
Dr. Al-Haddad added that since its establishment, the Muslim Council of Elders has been keen on building bridges of dialogue among various religions and cultures. One of its most prominent milestones was the signing of the “Document on Human Fraternity,” in Abu Dhabi, in 2019 by His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. This event represented a historic moment that advanced the concept of coexistence and global peace.
 
He explained that after the Council’s success in extending bridges of dialogue with followers of other religions, it found an urgent need to focus on intra-Islamic dialogue due to the sectarian differences and divisions that have weakened the Ummah and led to its fragmentation. He confirmed that the call for internal unity has become a religious duty and a collective responsibility. He noted that the Bahrain Conference on Intra-Islamic Dialogue represented a qualitative leap in this direction, as it called for the unity of Muslims under the “Call for the People of Qiblah,” a charter launched by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, advocating for it to be a cornerstone for Islamic constants and joint collective action.
 
Dr. Al-Haddad concluded by affirming that the current challenges facing the Ummah, whether sectarian strife, intellectual or moral invasion, require the Ummah to be united. He pointed out that its strength can only be achieved through its unity and solidarity. He directed several important messages to all Muslims, emphasizing the necessity of realizing that Islamic unity is a religious obligation, not an option; adhering to ethical values derived from the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet; being aware of the dangers of division and what it causes in terms of fragmentation, weakness, and disintegration; enhancing cooperation and joint action among the members of the Ummah away from conflict; and prioritizing the interest of the Ummah over narrow interests. He further called for the cooperation of religious, scientific, and media authorities to instill the values of understanding and human fraternity.
 
The Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the 2025 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair presents more than 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including a number of the latest releases from Al-Hokama Publishing in 2025. These publications address the most prominent intellectual and cultural issues, stemming from the Council’s mission aimed at promoting peace and instilling the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence. The Council’s pavilion is located at Booth 10C35, Hall 10.

Dr. Samir Boudinar: The Distinguished Scholar Dr. El-Shafei Represents a Renewed Link Between the Scholars of the East and Their Counterparts in the West

Dr. Hasan El-Shafei: Renewal Has Its Conditions, and Among Muslims, It Means Demonstrating the Firm Beliefs Through the Quran and the Sunnah

As part of its cultural program at the 30th edition of the Rabat International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders hosted a seminar titled: “The Potential for Renewing Islamic Theology through Personal Experience.” The seminar was moderated by Dr. Samir Boudinar, Director of the Al-Hokama Center for Peace Research, and featured a keynote address by His Eminence Professor Dr. Hasan Abdullatif El-Shafei, member of the Muslim Council of Elders, member of Al-Azhar’s Council of Senior Scholars, Chairman of the Union of Arabic Language and Science Academies, and former President of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo.

At the beginning of the seminar, Dr. Boudinar emphasized that the presence of His Eminence Sheikh El-Shafei at the Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the Rabat International Book Fair, and his visit to Morocco as a distinguished guest, held “special significance.” He described him as a renewed link between the venerable scholars of the East and their counterparts in the West, particularly between Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Egypt and Al-Qarawiyyin University in Fez. Dr. Boudinar noted that Dr. El-Shafei is one of the most prominent specialists in Islamic theology, a distinguished scholar whose reputation has spread across the Islamic world, known among scholars and researchers alike for his profound scholarship and meticulous research, both in the East and the West.

For his part, His Eminence Professor Dr. El-Shafei highlighted that there are numerous commonalities in the field of Islamic theology between the scholars of Cairo and Rabat, most notably a “tendency toward institutional renewal” through “scientific bodies” — an approach found uniquely in Morocco and at Al-Azhar headquarters in Egypt. He explained that in the Western world, renewal generally meant reviving Roman legal traditions and Greek philosophy, while in the Islamic context, it involved reviving the “experimental spirit” within Islamic heritage. In the West, renewal concerned fundamentals, beliefs, issues, and proofs, whereas “for the East, renewal focuses on issues, methodological rules, and proofs alone,” noting that “we do not have ecumenical councils that introduce new doctrines into the core of our faith.” He stressed that “renewal among Muslims means demonstrating the established articles of faith through the Quran and the Sunnah.”

His Eminence further explained that renewal has specific conditions, as understood by jurists, hadith scholars, and theologians — including the renowned thinker Ibn Rushd (Averroes), as stated in the early pages of his work “The Decisive Treatise on the Connection Between Islamic Religious Law and Philosophy.” The first condition, he said, is mastery of the Arabic language; the second, not relying on a single proof for a given issue; and the third, profound expertise in the field targeted for renewal. Additionally, he emphasized the necessity of familiarity with contemporary human knowledge and thought, engagement with the intellectual traditions of previous civilizations and Muslim scholars through critical discussion rather than blind acceptance, and a deep understanding of the history and development of Islamic theology.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the Rabat International Book Fair showcases more than 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including several of the latest 2025 releases from Al-Hokama Publishing. These works address some of the most pressing contemporary intellectual and cultural issues. In addition to its publications, the Council is hosting a series of cultural and intellectual activities featuring an elite group of scholars, thinkers, writers, cultural figures, academics, and university professors. This comes in line with the Council’s mission to promote peace and foster the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence.
The Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion is located in the Souissi district of Rabat, at Booth D47.

His Excellency Kais Saied, President of the Republic of Tunisia, visited the pavilion of the Muslim Council of Elders at the 39th edition of the Tunis International Book Fair. During his tour of the pavilion, he reviewed the Council’s diverse collection of more than 250 publications available in five languages, addressing prominent intellectual and cultural issues.

President Saied expressed particular interest in several key publications, including “The Call for the People of Qiblah: One Nation and a Shared Destiny” and “The Problems Behind the Division of the Ummah into Sunnis and Shia.” His Excellency emphasized the importance of the unity of the Muslim Ummah, adherence to the fundamental principles of Islam, and the rejection of division, citing the verse from the Quran: “Surely this religion of yours is only one, and I am your Lord, so fear Me alone.” (Quran 23:52).

His Excellency also reviewed “100 Questions on Doctrine, Creed, and Sharia,” with its sections covering issues related to Islamic theology, takfir, jihad, Islamic governance, and other contemporary matters. He underlined the necessity of correcting misconceptions and the importance of properly understanding Islamic heritage, commending the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in promoting peace, fostering the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence, and striving for the unity of the Muslim Ummah.

The Muslim Council of Elders is participating for the second consecutive year with a dedicated pavilion at the Tunis International Book Fair, held from April 25 to May 4, 2025. The Council is showcasing more than 250 diverse intellectual and cultural titles by Al Hokama Publishing, in line with its mission to promote peace, foster the values of dialogue and tolerance, and build bridges of cooperation and human coexistence.

On Saturday, His Excellency Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, attended the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis of the Catholic Church, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.

His Excellency conveyed heartfelt condolences to the leaders of the Catholic Church, expressing profound sorrow for the loss of Pope Francis, with whom he shared a deep personal and familial bond spanning nearly a decade.

Representing His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, along with the Council’s distinguished members, Judge Abdelsalam reaffirmed the commitment to advancing the path of human fraternity championed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam. Their enduring partnership yielded transformative global initiatives, including the historic Document on Human Fraternity, which was co-signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019, the inaugural World Conference on Peace Among Religious Leaders in Cairo in 2017, and the East-West Dialogue Forum in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2022.

His Excellency Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, is participating today, Saturday, in the funeral ceremony of Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, taking place at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, with the attendance of more than 130 foreign delegations from around the globe.

In a statement, Judge Abdelsalam remarked that at this pivotal moment in human history, we bid farewell to a courageous religious leader and an enduring symbol who leaves behind an inspiring humanitarian legacy for generations to come—one rooted in the promotion of goodness, peace, coexistence, and human fraternity. He emphasized that history will forever inscribe in letters of light Pope Francis’ humanitarian stances in defense of the poor, the oppressed, the refugees, and the displaced.

Judge Abdelsalam further noted that true loyalty to this great religious figure calls upon all of us to continue the journey of human fraternity that Pope Francis began with his brother, His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, through the launch of the Human Fraternity initiative and its historic document from Abu Dhabi in 2019. He stressed that this noble path compels us all to work tirelessly toward realizing the dream for which Pope Francis lived—a dream shared by all lovers of peace and goodness—of a world free of crises, wars, and conflicts, and governed by the spirit of love, coexistence, and fraternity.

The Vatican had announced last Monday the passing of Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, at the age of eighty-eight. His Holiness is scheduled to be laid to rest today, Saturday, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, extends its heartfelt solidarity with the Republic of Türkiye in the wake of the recent earthquake that struck the Sea of Marmara, affecting several areas in Istanbul and resulting in injuries to dozens of individuals.

The Council affirms its unwavering support for Türkiye and its people during this challenging time, praying to Almighty Allah to grant a swift and full recovery to all those injured.

As part of its cultural program at the 30th edition of the Rabat International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders organized a seminar titled “Religion and the Nations of Greater Asia.” The session was moderated by Dr. Samir Boudinar, Director of the Al Hokama Center for Peace Research, and presented by Dr. Fouad Farahawi, Professor at the Faculty of Law, Economics, and Social Sciences at Mohammed I University (MIU) in Oujda.

At the beginning of the seminar, Dr. Samir Boudinar noted that the theme was drawn from a recently published book by the Al Hokama Center for Peace Research, titled “Religion and the Nations of Greater Asia: Managing Religious and Ethnic Pluralism in China and India.” The book, a collaborative work by the research team behind the project Peace and the Religious and Ethnic Map of Asia, was overseen by Dr. Fouad Farahawi. It delves into the complexities of religious and ethnic diversity in Asia, with a particular focus on China and India, two of the most populous and culturally diverse nations in the region. The book also explores the issue of identity, especially in India, as the second most populous country in Asia.
 
Dr. Fouad Farahawi emphasized that the book highlights Asia as the world’s richest and most diverse region for Muslim populations, according to global demographic data. He pointed out that the region plays a pivotal role in shaping the future global balance of power, especially with the cultural, economic, and strategic rise of both China and India.

He further noted that global peace is closely linked to stability in Asia, as patterns of cooperation and conflict in the region often reverberate across other parts of the world, including Africa, the Arab region, Europe, and the Americas. He stressed that the reality and future of Muslims in Asia cannot be viewed in isolation from the historical evolution of the other nations, religions, and civilizations in the region. Given the broad ethnic and linguistic diversity of Muslims in Asia, it is only natural to find points of intersection with the ethnic compositions of other religious and philosophical traditions in the region.

 
The Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion at the Rabat International Book Fair showcases over 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including a number of its latest 2025 releases from Al-Hokama Publishing, addressing key contemporary intellectual and cultural issues. The Pavilion also hosts a series of cultural and scholarly events featuring prominent scholars, thinkers, authors, academics, and university professors, all in line with the Council’s vision and mission to promote peace and uphold the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence. The Council’s Pavilion is located in the Souissi District of Morocco’s capital, Rabat, at Stand D47.

The Muslim Council of Elders is participating with a dedicated pavilion at the 39th edition of the Tunis International Book Fair, scheduled to take place from April 25 to May 4, 2025. This participation reflects the Council’s mission to promote peace, foster dialogue and tolerance, and build bridges of cooperation and human coexistence.

Throughout the fair, the Muslim Council of Elders’ stand will showcase more than 250 diverse intellectual and cultural releases, including several of the latest publications from Al Hokama Publishing for the year 2025. These include books such as “Religion and the Nations of Greater Asia: Managing Religious and Ethnic Pluralism in China and India,” “Peace in Africa: Studies and Perspectives on Enhancing Stability and Development,” “The Making of International Peace: Drawing from Shared Contexts,” and “International Peace: Shared Values and Institutional Concepts,” authored by a group of researchers from the Al Hokama Center for Peace Research. Additionally, the book “Islam and the West: An Approach to the Causes of Confrontation and a Survey of the Conditions for Intercultural Exchange” by Dr. Mohamed Elbenayadi, “The Quran’s Discourse on Humanity” by Ali Mohamed Hassan Al-Amari, a senior scholar at Al-Azhar, “Imam al-Haramayn and His Influence on the Development of the Ash’ari School” by Ali Mohamed Jaber, a senior scholar at Al-Azhar, and “Islamic Principles on Family Planning” by Abu Al-Wafa Al-Maraghi, a senior scholar at Al-Azhar, will also be featured.

As part of its commitment to strengthening intra-Islamic dialogue, the pavilion will also showcase several publications addressing this critical theme, including the book “Conflict Management in the Muslim World” by Dr. Idris Qasim, a researcher in foreign policy issues and a Doctor of Public Law, and the book “Problems of the Ummah’s Division into Sunnis and Shiites” by the Islamic thinker Dr. Elias Belka.

The pavilion further highlights over 20 works by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders. These works aim to present the true spirit of Islam and its rich intellectual and philosophical heritage. Titles include Al-Qawl al-Tayyib, From My Old Notebooks, A Perspective on East-West Dialogue, An Introduction to Classical Logic, Reflections on Purposes and Causes, On Sufi Theological Terminology, Tradition and Renewal, For the Sake of Peace, Insights into the Thought of Imam Al-Ash‘ari, Etiquette and Values, Toward a Contemporary Jurisprudential Renewal, and Lady Aisha: Mother of the Believers, among others.

In the same context, the Council’s pavilion offers several important publications, including “Love in the Holy Quran” by HRH Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad, a member of the Muslim Council of Elders, “The Grand Imam and the Pope: A Thorny Path – A Testimony to the Birth of the Document on Human Fraternity” by Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, “Rules of Understanding and Mutual Understanding in Thought and Language,” by Dr. Mustafa Benhamza, a member of the Muslim Council of Elders, “Muslims at a Crossroads” by the late Dr. Mahmoud Hamdy Zaqzouq, and “Interfaith Encounters in Al-Andalus and Morocco” by Dr. Jaafar ben El Haj Soulami. 

Recognizing the importance of translation as a bridge between civilizations in constructive communication, the Muslim Council of Elders continues its diligent efforts to translate numerous books aimed at promoting peace. This year, the Council presents several notable translated publications, including “The Voice of Change” and “Shared Global Values and Making International Peace” by a group of researchers. Additionally, there are other translated works such as “Confronting Islamophobia in Europe” by various researchers, “Islam and Good Governance” by Prof. Dr. Muqtedar Khan, and “Islam, the West, and Tolerance: Conceiving Coexistence” by Aaron Tyler, among others.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion is located at Stand 1302, Exhibition Palace, Al-Karam District, at the Tunis International Book Fair.

Dr. Samir Boudinar: Renewing religious discourse is a matter of urgent relevance in today’s global context

Dr. Ahmed Mostafa: Muhammad Abdullah Draz represents a continuation of the Azharite tradition of revival and renewal—blending Islamic heritage with the insights of modern Western thought

As part of its cultural program at the 30th Rabat International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders hosted a seminar titled “Analyzing the Discourse of Renewal: Muhammad Abdullah Draz as a Model.” The seminar was moderated by Dr. Samir Boudinar, Director of the Al Hokama Center for Peace Research, and presented by Dr. Ahmed Mostafa, a specialist in religious discourse analysis at Al-Azhar.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Boudinar emphasized that renewing religious discourse is a matter of pressing importance in the contemporary world, given the urgent need to develop scholarly and methodological tools of expression. He noted that Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Draz stands out as one of the leading figures in the renewal of religious thought in modern times.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Mostafa stated that Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Draz represents a continuation of a prominent intellectual current within Al-Azhar—namely, the “revival and renewal movement,” which emerged in the modern era with figures such as Sheikh Muhammad Abduh, Sheikh Hassan Al-Attar, and other distinguished scholars of Al-Azhar. These scholars combined a deep, comprehensive understanding of the rich and diverse Islamic heritage, with all its complex issues and profound intellectual insights, with a constructive engagement with modern Western methodologies. They built upon these methods in a way that served the interests of the Arab and Islamic worlds and addressed the pressing challenges they continue to face.
 
He added that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah Draz had a unique relationship with the Qur’an. His writings and intellectual contributions reflected his bold engagement with the text, using logic and rational analysis to explore its meanings and speak directly to the modern mind. His treatment of the Qur’an’s miraculous nature was both creative and comprehensive—going beyond its linguistic and rhetorical brilliance to include psychological, intellectual, moral, historical, reformative, and ethical dimensions. He possessed a sharp renewalist vision, which earned him wide recognition among scholars and intellectuals as one of the most influential figures in modern Islamic thought. 

Dr. Ahmed Mostafa further explained that Sheikh Draz approached the question of the Qur’an’s divine origin through a method uniquely suited to the modern era, particularly in the face of the doubts and suspicions raised by materialist and deviant ideologies. His approach combined rational and spiritual analysis, focusing on the internal structure of the Qur’an—its coherence, objectivity, and unity of message. With remarkable clarity, he distinguished between the Qur’anic revelation and the Prophet’s own speech in both style and substance, showing that the Qur’an is not the word of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but a divine revelation in both origin and nature. This sacred text, Draz demonstrated, surpasses the Prophet’s own words in eloquence, legal depth, and psychological insight. Sheikh Draz’s methodology skillfully bridged the authenticity of Islamic intellectual tradition with the demands of the modern age, making his perspective both distinctive and persuasive, not only for Muslim scholars and thinkers but also for non-Muslims seeking to understand the depth of the Qur’anic message.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion at the Rabat International Book Fair showcases over 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including a number of its latest 2025 releases from Al-Hokama Publishing, addressing key contemporary intellectual and cultural issues. The Pavilion also hosts a series of cultural and scholarly events featuring prominent scholars, thinkers, authors, academics, and university professors, all in line with the Council’s vision and mission to promote peace and uphold the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence. The Council’s Pavilion is located in the Souissi District of Morocco’s capital, Rabat, at Stand D47.