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The Muslim Council of Elders, under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, expresses profound disappointment over the United Nations Security Council’s failure to adopt the draft resolution proposing the full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations.

The Council stresses that granting full membership to the State of Palestine within the United Nations constitutes both a historical right and an urgent imperative for advancing global peace efforts. It urges the international community to uphold the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people in establishing an independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital.

Furthermore, the Muslim Council of Elders reiterates its call for an immediate halt to the aggression against the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in many casualties and injuries. It also urges for the facilitation of humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians, particularly vulnerable groups such as the sick, children, women, and the elderly, in order to alleviate their suffering.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, extends its heartfelt condolences to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of the Sultanate of Oman, and the people of Oman for the victims of the floods and heavy rains witnessed by the Sultanate. These events have resulted in several casualties, injuries, and missing individuals, as well as the destruction of several public facilities and properties.

The Muslim Council of Elders expresses its solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman, its leadership, government, and people during this tragic ordeal. May the Almighty bestow His mercy upon the victims, grant them a place in His spacious gardens, expedite the recovery of the injured, ensure the success of the efforts of the competent authorities in finding the missing individuals, and safeguard the Sultanate and its people from all harm and adversity.

The Muslim Council of Elders recently hosted Iftars in Kazakhstan and Pakistan, with the participation of prominent religious leaders and figures from various sectors. The event aimed to reinforce values of tolerance, peace, acceptance, and dialogue among religions, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.

In Kazakhstan, the Central Asia branch of the Muslim Council of Elders organized the Iftar, attended by notable figures including Nokijanov Yorgan Bolaatkhanov, Head of Kazakhstan’s Religious Affairs Committee, Ershat Agybayuly, Deputy Mufti of Kazakhstan, Yangaliev Asghat Jomarovych, Leader of the Baha’i Faith Religious Association, and Novgorodov Yuri Timofeevich, Leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Religious Association, alongside ambassadors, Senate members, and intellectuals.

Dr. Darkhan Qydyrali, Kazakhatan’s Senate Deputy and Supervisor of the Muslim Council of Elders office in Central Asia, emphasized that establishing the branch aligns with the shared vision of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders as well as the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairman of the Senate and Secretary-General of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. The goal is to enhance cooperation in promoting dialogue, tolerance, and peace, building on Kazakhstan’s exemplary model of coexistence.

The Iftar also featured speeches by Adil Kurmanzhanuly Akhmetov, a Member of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States and Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and Baitilesuly Zhusip Nurtore, a Kazakh Senate Deputy and Chairman of the Committee for Social-Cultural Development and Science, praising the establishment of the Central Asia branch to enhance communication, revive intellectual heritage, and educate younger generations.

In Pakistan, the Muslim Council of Elders branch organized an Iftar attended by religious leaders such as Dr. Qibla Ayaz, the current Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, and political, academic, and media personalities. Dr. Ayaz commended the Council’s efforts over the past decade under Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb’s chairmanship to promote peaceful coexistence and human fraternity. He stressed the importance of instilling these values in current and future generations to foster understanding and communication among different religious communities.

Other attendees, including former parliament member Sardar Ranjit Singh and Christopher Sharif, coordinator of the “Sabian Pakistan” program for Christian minorities, who praised the Muslim Council of Elders for promoting harmony among religions and emphasized the role of religious leaders in addressing global humanitarian challenges.

The Muslim Council of Elders, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, has established branches in Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan, aiming to strengthen communication with Muslims worldwide and promote dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence.

The Muslim Council of Elders, led by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, emphasized that healthcare is a fundamental human right and a key priority for achieving sustainable development and inclusive prosperity. The Council highlighted that the spread of diseases and epidemics is among the most significant challenges facing humanity, posing serious threats to public health, economic stability, and social harmony.

In a statement on World Health Day, observed annually on April 7th, the Muslim Council of Elders noted that the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected every corner of the world, underscored the critical importance of global collaboration and collective efforts to address health challenges. The Council urged governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to adopt a multi-sectoral approach that prioritizes investment in healthcare, strengthens health infrastructure, and guarantees equitable access to high-quality health services for everyone, regardless of their social, economic, racial, or national backgrounds.

The statement also pointed out that Islam considers health a human necessity and a fundamental need, not a luxury or an optional matter. Human life is sacred and must not be compromised or squandered. Thus, maintaining health is one of the most important obligations for every Muslim, as it enables them to engage in worship and perform acts of kindness for themselves, their families, and their community. With good health, individuals can actively contribute to the development and betterment of the world.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, underscored that the noble Islamic faith emphasizes the importance of caring for orphans, treating them kindly, honoring them, and looking after their affairs. It considers this among the best righteous deeds through which Muslims earn rewards from Allah. Allah the Almighty says: {And give to the orphans their properties and do not substitute the defective [of your own] for the good [of theirs]. And do not consume their properties into your own. Indeed, that is ever a great sin.} (Quran, Al-Baqarah: 2:284). Likewise, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “I and the caretaker of an orphan will be in Paradise like this,” indicating with his index and middle fingers and slightly separating them (Sahih Bukhari).

In a statement on Arab Orphan’s Day, which falls on the first Friday of April each year, the Muslim Council of Elders emphasizes that caring for orphans should encompass raising awareness of the importance of meeting their material needs, as well as providing them with psychological, social, and educational support, enabling them to become positive contributors to their countries and communities.

On the International Day of Conscience – Muslim Council of Elders: Conscience, an Ethical Compass Guiding Individuals toward Values of Goodness, Justice, Tolerance, and Peace

The Muslim Council of Elders under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, emphasizes the importance of conscience as a moral compass guiding individuals toward values of goodness, justice, and tolerance. It points out that our world today is in dire need of reviving the human conscience and promoting a culture of peace and coexistence, especially in light of the escalating feelings of hatred, violence, extremism, wars, and conflicts.

In a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Conscience, observed on the 5th of April every year, the Muslim Council of Elders states that Islam and divine laws consider human values and conscience as fundamental guides directing individuals to make right decisions in life. It calls upon individuals, institutions, and societies to seize the opportunity of this day to remind themselves of the value of human conscience and its ability to lead positive change in the world and build communities characterized by peace, justice, and love.

The statement further explains that the Document on Human Fraternity, co-signed by two prominent religious figures in the world, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, of the Catholic Church, which calls for promoting values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, acceptance of diversity, and pluralism, comes at a critical time when the world is engulfed in conflicts, disputes, bigotry, and extremism. It serves as a beacon of hope and a call for every living conscience to reject hateful violence and blind extremism and to embrace principles of tolerance and fraternity.

Dr. Hassan El-Sagheer, President of Al-Azhar Academy for Training Imams, Preachers, and Fatwa Researchers, extended his congratulations to the Muslim Council of Elders on the occasion of its tenth anniversary.

Dr. El-Sagheer emphasized that over the past decade, the Muslim Council of Elders has continuously offered its contributions, and its generosity continues to overflow and offer goodness. The Council has not left any field or issue unaddressed, emphasizing that this entity is a symbol of amity and a promoter of peace. It empathizes with the suffering of communities and provides effective solutions to problems facing them. The Council has also rendered significant services to humanity by establishing the values of dialogue, citizenship, and acceptance of others through the Document on Human Fraternity. Its initiatives have served thousands and contributed to raising community awareness.

He also praised the efforts of Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, in fostering interfaith and intercultural dialogue and contributing to finding effective solutions to the challenges that humanity faces. The Council is a global entity that was born to become influential among institutions that offer valuable services to the world.

Dr. Salama Jumaa Dawood, the President of Al-Azhar University, extended his congratulations to His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Muslim Council of Elders.

Dr. Salama Dawood praised the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders over the past decade, including the Document on Human Fraternity co-signed by His Eminence the Grand Imam and His Holiness Pope Francis on February 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This document served as a strong foundation for promoting principles of human fraternity and cooperation in humanitarian work, essential for building communities, along with various valuable scientific publications in diverse fields.

The President of Al-Azhar University also highlighted that the United Nations’ designation of February 4th of each year as the International Day of Human Fraternity, celebrated worldwide, stands as global recognition of the Muslim Council of Elders’ efforts since its establishment in 2014. These efforts have focused on addressing issues facing the Muslim world, enhancing dialogue between the East and the West, and fostering values of peace and mutual coexistence among all people, regardless of color, gender, or belief, inspired by the Quranic verse: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted” (Quran 49:13).

The university president wished the Muslim Council of Elders continued success and prosperity in the coming years, noting that the conflicts and challenges affecting the world globally necessitate the universal application of the principles outlined in the Document on Human Fraternity and the rejection of all forms of violence and extremism increasingly prevalent in recent years.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, affirms that the wise vision and humanitarian principles of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, embodied the message of tolerant Islam aimed at promoting values of tolerance and giving, and disseminating a culture of goodness and cooperation among people. The efforts of the late Sheikh Zayed also left its mark on the field of humanitarian work worldwide.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, stated that Zayed Humanitarian Day, which falls on the 19th of Ramadan each year, commemorating the passing of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, represents a significant occasion to celebrate and recall the values of tolerance, cooperation, and solidarity, and to promote a culture of giving among members of society, and to establish the principles of humanitarian work as a fundamental cornerstone for building more just and peaceful societies. It is also a reminder of the efforts of Sheikh Zayed whose charitable deeds extended to every corner of the world, making his humanitarian legacy a source of inspiration for current and future generations, and a unique model to be emulated in charitable work.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders further explained that the United Arab Emirates, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has continued following this pioneering approach, making it a beacon of hope for global volunteer and charitable work, supporting the needy and the poor, and promoting values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and human fraternity among peoples and nations. This has made the UAE an exceptional model in a world fraught with challenges and conflicts. Abdelsalam also commended the efforts of the United Arab Emirates in providing aid and assistance to the Palestinian people and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian and relief assistance to civilians in the Gaza Strip amid the many difficult humanitarian circumstances and challenges.

The Muslim Council of Elders strongly condemns the Israeli occupation’s decision to annex 8,000 dunams of land in the Al Aghwar area of the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Council expresses its unequivocal rejection of all measures aimed at altering the historical and legal status quo in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as any practices that violate international resolutions. Such actions threaten further escalation and tension in the region and hinder efforts to achieve peace and stability.

The Muslim Council of Elders calls on the international community to work towards stopping the aggression against the Palestinian people and to find a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue. It also supports the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.