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Muslim Council of Elders expresses solidarity with victims of deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria

Calls on International Community to mobilize and assist victims

Under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Muslim Council of Elders extends its sincere condolences with the victims of the deadly earthquake in Southern Turkey which lead to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries in Turkey and Syria. 

The Council expresses its utmost solidarity with the people of Turkey and Syria while calling on the international community to urgently mobilize and assist victims stuck under rubble as well as offer support and aid people impacted by the deadly earthquake.

The Muslim Council of Elders also extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims while praying for a speedy recovery for the injured.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam met with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Ahmad Khan at the Council’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi. During the meeting, the pair discussed potential cooperation, the diverse heritage of international law, as well as the Council’s role in promoting peaceful coexistence.

During the meeting, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court underlined the importance of showing how the roots of international law come from all regions, that it is the heritage of all humankind. He praised the Muslim Council of Elders under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb for its work in spreading peace and coexistence globally. He also recognized the Council’s efforts in addressing a variety of humanitarian issues including: the Myanmar issue, the call for an inter-Islamic dialogue, the affirmation of women’s rights to education, and the dispatching of peace convoys.

Khan noted that the United Arab Emirates’ efforts in in promoting peace are telling and that the ‘Human Fraternity Meeting’ in Abu Dhabi is a reflection of those efforts. He also emphasized the importance of disseminating the document’s ideals and seeking to reflect them in international laws and legislation.

For his part, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Muslim Council of Elders’ Secretary-General, said that the Council’s mission to advance peace and human fraternity in Muslim and non-Muslim nations is a vision and a message that it proudly carries. He also noted that the Document on Human Fraternity has today become a major source of interest and inspiration for many nations around the world.

Abdelsalam continued, “In light of the difficulties our world is currently facing, there is a crucial role that institutions can play in fostering and sustaining both societal peace and religious freedom.” Abdelsalam applauded the United Arab Emirates in particular for its role in supporting initiatives that promote peace, tolerance, and coexistence while countering hate and human trafficking.

The International Day of Human Fraternity (4 February) has been commemorated by the Indonesian Branch of the Muslim Council of Elders with a number of events and seminars. The day falls on the anniversary of His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, co-signing the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi in 2019.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ branch in Indonesia also prepared the Friday sermon text and its theme, “The Concept of Human Fraternity,” in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs. On February 3, 2023, the sermon was distributed to Indonesian mosques, including the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta (the largest mosque in Southeast Asia), and it was broadcast on numerous channels. The Human Fraternity Document was also printed and distributed at other prominent mosques, notably the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the city of Solo.

Several religious leaders took part in a symposium that was hosted at Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta, the nation’s capital. It was highlighted during this time that genuine fraternity helps to encourage teamwork to solve human problems. In the presence of Bishop Romo Agustinus Heri Wibowo, a representative of the Catholic Church, Mr. Ole-Visual Abdullah, a representative of the Nahdlatul Ulama Association, Mr. Bhiko Dama Subo Mahathira, a representative of the Buddhist community, and Mr. Ghazali, a representative of the Muhammadiyah Association, participants in the symposium signed a joint declaration based on the principles of the Document on Human Fraternity in preparation for its submission to the Indonesian Parliament.

At a scientific symposium that the Indonesian Branch of the Muslim Council of Elders hosted at the Hindu University of Bangli on the island of Bali, participants thanked His Eminence the Grand Imam and His Holiness Pope Francis for their work to advance interfaith harmony and combat hate speech, intolerance, and discrimination. They also referenced to the Fourth of February being designated as the International Day of Human Fraternity by the UN, which reflects the wish of all peoples to live in peace and security throughout the world. A united statement was signed by all of the participating religious leaders at the symposium’s conclusion.

The Human Fraternity Document, according to Dr. Muzafir, president of the Islamic University of Surakarta, is a historical and inspirational document for many global leaders. He continued by stating that the symposium’s significant attendance from many tribes and religious backgrounds is proof of their dedication to the principles of human fraternity. Participants signed an unified declaration at the end of the symposium with the goal of preventing conflict and bloodshed in all of its manifestations and encouraging harmony and goodwill among believers in other religions in order to bring about world peace.

The Interreligious Council (IRC-Indonesia), the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation Among Civilizations (CDCC), the Nahdlatul Ulama Association, the Muhammadiyah Association and approximately 1000 religious, political, and academic figures from Indonesia are all expected to attend a symposium that will be held at the parliament building in Jakarta in honor of the International Day of Human Fraternity. The presidents of the two main Islamic organizations (Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah), the presidents of each of Indonesia’s eight religious councils, and the president of the People’s Consultative Assembly of Indonesia are all slated to speak.

These events, which were arranged by the Indonesian Branch of the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with academic, religious, legislative, and executive institutions in Indonesia, attracted a lot of attention and were notably covered by the most significant media outlets in the country, including the official news agency and numerous prominent newspapers and television channels.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ stand at the Cairo International Book Fair 2023 organized a number of events celebrating the International Day of Human Fraternity (4 February) which coincides with the anniversary of the 2019 signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders alongside His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church in Abu Dhabi. 

The Council’s stand hosted a number of workshops, talks and competitions with participation by the general public and students from Al-Azhar and the Emerging Peacemakers Forum. Talks were also conducted by various prominent figures within Egyptian society and Al-Azhar.

The 4th of February marks the anniversary of the co-signing of the Document on Human Fraternity 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 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. The Document a declaration that promoted peace and coexistence among all humanity as well as a recognition that we are all part of the same human family.

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 tenth seminar by the Muslim Council of Elders at the Cairo International Book Fair took place at the Council’s stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center. The seminar was titled ‘Islamic civilization’s integration of sciences’ and presented by Dr. Nazir Ayad, Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy at Al-Azhar.

During the seminar, Dr. Ayad remarked that Islamic civilization benefits greatly from the integration of the sciences, as do the sciences themselves. The most striking aspect of this is the presence of a renewal movement in its truest meaning that is based on maintaining the constants while maintaining flexibility, something that can only be done by integrating a wide range of sciences.

The Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy at Al-Azhar added, “In addition to the revival of Islamic civilization, one of the outcomes of the integration of sciences into Islamic civilization is that it opened the door to intellectual security, particularly in light of technological advances.” 

Ayad concluded by noting that the combination of sciences is necessary for progress and civilizational advancement. He also cited a group of historic Islamic academics who integrated a wide range of disciplines, including law, logic, religion, medicine, and astronomy. These Muslim scholars improved their societies before Europe eventually benefited from their knowledge and research.

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 world is set to celebrate the International Day of Human Fraternity which coincides on the 4th of February of each year. The date marks the anniversary of the co-signing of the Document on Human Fraternity 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 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.

On the 22nd of December 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted the 4th of February as the ‘International Day of Human Fraternity’.

The Muslim Council of Elders along with its branches around the world are set to organize a number of events and seminars that promote coexistence and human fraternity around the world. This includes, the ‘World Tolerance Summit’, which is set to be held in partnership with the UAE’s Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence on the 6th and 7th of February 2023 with attendance by various religious leaders, thinkers and academics from around the world.

Likewise, tomorrow sees the announcement of winners of the ‘Zayed Award for Human Fraternity’ which is one of the fruits of the ‘Document on Human Fraternity’. The award recognizes individuals or entities across the world who lead by example in promoting peace and coexistence as well as collaborating selflessly and tirelessly to bridge divides and create real human fraternity. 

The Muslim Council of Elders calls on people around the world to celebrate the ‘International Day of Human Fraternity’ by practically applying the noble values of the Document on Human Fraternity such as justice, love, peace and coexistence into their everyday lives

The tenth seminar by the Muslim Council of Elders at the Cairo International Book Fair took place at the Council’s stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center. The seminar was titled ‘Renewal of Religious Discourse: Reality and Hopes’ and presented by Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Ghany Shama, Professor of Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Languages and Translation in Al-Azhar University and Secretary-General of the Egyptian Family House alongside Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Siraj, Professor of Islamic Studies at the American University in Cairo.

During the seminar, Dr. Shama remarked that in order to instill values and ideals in the conscience of young people, as well as to give their personality a solid educational foundation, there are certain issues on which the renewal issue must be built. These issues arise from the curricula in all Islamic institutions. This would aid individuals in improving themselves, giving back to those around them, and helping to create a civilization that advances with the times.

Dr. Shama stressed that in order to develop the religious spirit, we must practice correct behavior, recognize the other and respect their faith and beliefs. He also emphasized the importance of teaching Islamic culture to all university students in the Islamic world since Islam is not only a religion that encourages acts of worship but also a religion that encourages worldly work to develop the earth.

For his part, Dr. Siraj discussed the concerns that occasionally arise when addressing renewal and how they are typically caused by the hurried ambition of those discussing the question of renewal in Islamic philosophy. The norm of altering the fatwa with changes in time, place, and circumstances is another example of how the Islamic legal system is built on spiritual sources and takes progress into account. As a result, jurisprudential thought is related to ongoing modernization and renewal.

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 ’The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path’ by Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalm is available to visitors of the Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the 54th Cairo International Book Fair. The book documents the birth of the Human Fraternity Document which was co-signed by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi.

The book’s introduction is co-written by His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders and has received widespread acclaim from various prominent international figures. Judge Abdelsalm says, “I tirelessly thought about publishing my memoirs on the birth of the Human Fraternity Document which was well-received internationally. I felt like that the world is my village and that humanity is family and hence it became imperative that I publish my memoirs on the matter.”

The book helps readers understand and digest the events that shaped the creation of the Human Fraternity Document through Judge Abdelsalam’s perspective. The author particularly highlights his close-knit relationship with the Grand Imam, who he describes as a peace-loving and great leader who believes in coexisting with people of different backgrounds.

Judge Abdelsalam chronicles the steps taken by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis to spreading global peace which began with the Grand Imam’s visit to the Vatican followed by the Pope’s visit to Al-Azhar. These two events would develop into a great relationship between the two religious leaders. The author also retells the United Arab Emirates’ historic role in supporting the birth of the document and particularly the efforts of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, who is the patron of human fraternity. The book concludes by documenting the efforts exerted to applying the values of the Human Fraternity Document through the formation of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity.

Additionally, Judge Abdelsalam recounts the crucial role that the United Arab Emirates and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the country’s president, had in promoting the document that spurred inspiration around the globe. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who made tolerance and human fraternity a model to follow for future generations, is recognized in the author’s admiration of the UAE for its efforts in promoting dialogue and coexistence and spreading these values.

In the book, His Eminence the Grand Imam said, “His Excellency Judge Abdu-Salam should be praised for his testimony because it will allow us all to remember this human legacy with all its details; otherwise, these would be forgotten forever, the case which would be a tragedy for humankind.”

Likewise, Pope Francis remarked in the book, “This book registers the significant moments in this journey, which drove us to co-sign the Human Fraternity Document on February 4th 2019 in Abu Dhabi. My dear son Muhammad Abdu-Salam was an eyewitness of the steps that had been taken and the challenges and difficulties we all faced and overcame in order to realize this great objective.”

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 eighth seminar by the Muslim Council of Elders at the Cairo International Book Fair took place at the Council’s stand at the Egypt International Exhibition Center. The seminar was titled ‘Tips for Arabic Students’ and presented by Ivorian scholar and Al-Azhar graduate Shaykh Faozi Konate. The seminar explored the importance of the Arabic language for researchers and students in academia.

During the seminar, Shaykh Konate remarked that the Arabic language is a means of knowledge and comprehension that affords a person the ability to grasp both his own language and that of others. Additionally, he highlighted how crucial it is for scholars and students of Arabic to study the 12 sciences of the language.

The Ivorian scholar also noted that academics unanimously agree that learning and absorbing any academic field should begin with research in the Arabic language before moving on to the field itself. He also referenced a number of intellectuals, like Al-Baqalani, Al-Ramani, and Al-Khattabi, who wrote about Arabic before writing about their respective fields of expertise. He concluded by emphasizing the significance of Arabic language studies and specializations for students and researchers.

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.