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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.

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders headed by the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam have visited the Kurdistan Scholars Union. During the meeting, both sides discussed potential cooperation opportunities.

During the meeting, the President of the Kurdistan Scholars Union expressed his openness to cooperating with the Council to spreading the values of tolerance and coexistence.

For his part, Judge Abdelsalam expressed his appreciation of the role of the Kurdistan Scholars Union as well as the Council’s willingness to cooperate with the union to promote religious values to preserve family values and encourage youth to positively integrate within their societies.

The Council’s delegation also met a number of figures that represent religious communities in Kurdistan. Meetings discussed the role of religions in spreading dialogue and tolerance while praising the Kurdistan regional government’s role in promoting coexistence.

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

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam along with a delegation from the Council have met Dr. Pshtiwan Sadiq, Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government. During the meeting, both parties discussed ways of countering extremist thought and spreading coexistence, tolerance, and peace. 

During the meeting, which was attended by the head of the Sunni Endowment Office in Iraq and President of the Kurdistan Scholars Union, the Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government praised the Muslim Council of Elders’role in spreading coexistence, dialogue and correcting misconceptions.

For his part, Jude Abdelsalam praised Kurdistan’s promotion of coexistence and described it as a model of human fraternity for its many humanitarian initiatives which seek to enhance regional peace between people of all backgrounds. 

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders headed by the Council’s Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has arrived in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan to conduct a number of meetings with various religious and social leaders.

The delegation is set to meet the President of the Kurdistan Scholars Union, the head of the Assyrian Eastern Patriarchate, the Chaldean Church to go with a number of religious and community leaders from all facets of the Iraqi society.

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders headed by the Council’s Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has visited the Scholars League Association in Iraq to discuss possible joint cooperation. 

During the meeting, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Abdelaziz Al Sheikh Hamad, President of the Scholars League Association in Iraq expressed his appreciation of the Muslim Council of Elders under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for its efforts in promoting peace and tolerant Islamic values as well as spreading coexistence and correcting misconceptions by building bridge of acquaintance with other religions and cultures. 

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam expressed the Council’s pride at Iraq and its historic role in nurturing Islamic scholars. He also praised the Scholars League Association in Iraq for promoting unity and hopes to build further cooperation between the Council and all facets of Iraqi society. 

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders is currently visiting Iraq with the visit set to include a number of meetings with prominent Sunni and Shia religious leaders and scholars. The visit will feature meetings in Baghdad, Najaf and Erbil and aims to build productive channels of dialogue with all facets of Iraqi society and to 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 and understanding.

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders headed by the Council’s Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has 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. 

During the meeting, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Hassan Taha emphasized the Iraqi people’s appreciation of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders for his and the Council’s great efforts in correcting misconceptions and combatting extremism while spreading peace globally.

He added that the Arab and Islamic worlds are in dire need for ideological fraternity through moderate rhetoric that helps overcome conflict and extremist thought that has plagued the Muslim world in recent times. He declared that the Fiqh Academy in Iraq will look to cooperate with the Muslim Council of Elders to promote the values of dialogue, coexistence and human fraternity. 

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam expressed the Council’s respect for the noble role of Islamic scholars in spreading true religious values while countering all forms of extremism and terrorism. He added that the Arab and Muslim worlds desperately require for an emphasis on dialogue and coexistence. 

Judge Abdelsalam also reiterated that Iraq is a nation that is rich with scholars and thinkers who have historically impacted Islamic thought. He concluded by expressing the Council’s desire to continue lines of communication and dialogue with all facets of Iraqi society through the Grand Imam’s calls for an inter-Islamic dialogue and by emphasizing religious fraternity as the root to human fraternity.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has met His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq. During the meeting, the two sides discussed potential joint cooperation to spread dialogue and coexistence.

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.

For his part, 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.

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders is currently visiting Iraq with the visit set to include a number of meetings with prominent social and religious leaders. The visit will feature meetings in Baghdad, Najaf and Erbil and aims to build productive channels of dialogue with all facets of Iraqi society.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has met His Eminence Sayed Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalai, the official representative of Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani.

During the meeting, Judge Abdelsalam emphasized the importance of mutual work and efforts in order to achieve dialogue and understanding between all schools of Islamic thought, particularly Sunni and Shia Islam. He added that Islam is the religion of peace and that there are many common values between different Islamic sects that can be built upon in order to build serious channels of dialogue. All Muslims believe in a single God, Prophet, and holy book which is evident in the Quranic verse, “Indeed, this nation of yours is one nation, and I am Your Lord, therefore worship Me.”

Abdelsalam also 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. 

The Secretary-General also expressed his appreciation of the efforts of His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani to unite the people of Iraq which is highlighted in his famous quote, “Sunnis are a part of us”.

For his part, His Eminence Sayed Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalai praised the Council’s role under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb in spreading coexistence, tolerance, and peace. He also 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 mutual respect between official religious organizations.

Al-Karbalai added that such meetings have also helped curb the influence of extremist groups, which only serve to divide Muslims and spread sectarianism and extremism, which only serves to weaken the Islamic world. 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

The Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shaiyaa Al Sudani has hosted a delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders headed by the Council’s Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam. During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to counter extremist thought and the promotion of peace and coexistence. 

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 Islamic world. 

The Iraqi Prime Minister also emphasized the people of Iraq’s united stand in the face of sedition and discord by denouncing all forms of extremism, which in turn will bring an end to terrorism. He also pointed that Iraqis were able to overcome ISIS and its barbarism through unity and solidarity. 

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.

Judge Abdelsalam also presented the Iraqi Prime Minister the Muslim Council of Elders’ commemorative shield in recognition of his efforts to support peace. 

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders is currently visiting Iraq with the visit set to include a number of meetings with prominent Sunni and Shia religious leaders and scholars. The visit will feature meetings in Baghdad, Najaf, and Erbil and aims to build productive channels of dialogue with all facets of Iraqi society and to heed calls by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Council to promote inter-Islamic dialogue and understanding.

A delegation from the Muslim Council of Elders have met the head of the Sunni Endowment Office in Iraq Dr. Mishaan Al-Khazraji alongside a number of prominent Sunni scholars in the capital Baghdad.

During the meeting, Dr. Al Khazraji welcomed the Council’s delegation along with the Secretary-General of the Council Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam by stressing the importance of such visits to the Iraqi people since they help lay new foundations of communication with all facets of Iraqi society. 

Al Khazraji also praised the Council’s role under the Chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb in promoting coexistence and Islamic unity by defending its core issues. 

For his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said, “Iraq is nation dear to the hearts of all Arabs and Muslims as it is an academic and cultural hub for the entire Islamic world. Iraq had produced scholars such as Abu Hanifa, Imam Al Kailani, Imam Al Junaid, Al-Darqutni as well as Imam Al-Ash’ari who united the Muslim world with his moderate values.”

Judge Abdelsalam also noted that the Council’s visit, to Iraq which included visits to scholars in Najaf and Baghdad, is in fact akin to visiting the entirety of Iraq. He also pointed to the Council’s great emphasis on building fraternal relations with the people of Iraq, regardless of their background.

Abdelsalam concluded that the Council firmly believes that Iraq is a nation of coexistence throughout its history and can one day retain its rightful place among the Arab and Islamic worlds. The coming period, he noted, will see increased communication between the Council and all facets of Iraqi society. 

The Muslim Council of Elders is an independent international organization based in Abu Dhabi which was founded in 2014. It is chaired by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and is comprised of various Muslim scholars who are known for their wisdom, justice, independence, and moderateness. It strives to promote peace in Muslim communities by discouraging conflict and divisiveness.