PRESS RELEASES

The Muslim Council of Elders Urges International Community to Recognize the State of Palestine with Jerusalem as Its Capital

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar welcomes the decision by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal to recognize the State of Palestine. This milestone represents a historic and vital step toward achieving justice for the Palestinian people and ending their suffering, which has endured for over seven decades.

The Muslim Council of Elders calls on the international community to follow suit by recognizing the State of Palestine by granting it full membership in the United Nations, and affirming the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Council also renews its appeal to the international community to take urgent and decisive action to halt the aggression on the Gaza Strip by ensuring the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian and relief aid and by confronting policies of killing, starvation, and forced displacement, and working toward a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue which are essential to fostering security and stability for the region and the wider-world.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the bombing of a mosque in the city of Al-Fashir in Sudan’s North Darfur State, which resulted in tens of deaths and injuries among innocent civilians.

The Council states that this attack contradicts the tolerant teachings of Islam, all divine religions, and international conventions and norms and represents a clear violation of international law, which prohibits attacks on places of worship and mandates their protection, preservation, and respect.

The Muslim Council of Elders renews its call for an immediate ceasefire, urging increased international efforts to end the war in Sudan and to protect innocent civilians, and implement the Jeddah Declaration to prioritize the interests of the Sudanese people and fulfill their aspirations for peace and stability.

The Council extends its deepest condolences to the Sudanese people and the families of all the victims, praying to Almighty Allah to grant the injured a swift recovery.

Muslim Council of Elders: Celebrating the International Day of Peace Amid Gaza’s Horrific Humanitarian Crisis Tests the Global Conscience

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, calls for unified international efforts to halt all conflicts and wars that have claimed tens of thousands of lives around the world.

In a statement issued on the International Day of Peace, observed annually on September 21, the Muslim Council of Elders emphasized that peace is the core of Islam’s message and all divine religions, which were revealed to bring happiness to humanity, not to incite wars or conflicts. The Council clarified that peace transcends the mere absence of conflict, encompassing harmony, justice, and mutual respect among people. It warned against the rise of violent and hateful rhetoric, the ideological misuse of religious texts, and their exploitation to justify the killing of innocent civilians.

The Council stressed that celebrating the International Day of Peace while Gaza endures a horrific humanitarian crisis presents a critical test for the global conscience which also demands that the international community uphold its legal, moral, and humanitarian responsibilities by taking urgent action to protect innocent civilians in Gaza, end the killing, starvation, and forced displacement policies, ensure the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid, and pursue a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause, affirming the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Muslim Council of Elders is diligently working to promote peace and foster the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence through numerous inspiring initiatives, such as the ‘ Emerging PeaceMakers Forum’ and the ‘Student Dialogues for Human Fraternity Program’. These efforts culminated in the launch of the ‘Document on Human Fraternity’ which was co-signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and the late Pope Francis, former Pope of the Catholic Church. The document called for rediscovering the values of peace, justice, goodness, and human fraternity to end the wars and conflicts afflicting the world today.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the Israeli occupation army’s invasion of Gaza City. The Council warns of the grave consequences of this dangerous escalation for the lives of innocent civilians and its adverse impact on efforts to achieve peace, security, and stability in the region.

The Council urges the international community to uphold its legal, humanitarian, and moral responsibilities to halt this brutal aggression, protect innocent civilians, oppose policies of killing, starvation, and forced displacement, and ensure the immediate and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian and relief aid.

The Muslim Council of Elders reaffirms its unequivocal support for the Palestinian cause and the inalienable, legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, thereby ending their suffering, which has endured for over seven decades.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, welcomes the outcomes of the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Qatar to address the Israel’s attack on the capital of Qatar, Doha. The Council emphasizes that the summit marks a crucial step toward reinforcing the unity of the Arab and Islamic worlds in confronting ongoing challenges.

The Council also commends the summit’s unified Arab and Islamic stance in opposing the Israeli occupation’s violations and expresses its unwavering solidarity with the State of Qatar in response to the aggression targeting its territory, which is regarded as an attack on all Arab and Islamic nations. The Council praises the resolute support of Arab and Islamic leaders for Qatar’s security, stability, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens, standing united in endorsing all measures and actions Qatar undertakes to counter any forms of Israeli aggression. The Council firmly rejects any attempts to justify aggression under any pretext, underscoring that it constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

The Muslim Council of Elders further highlights the significance of the summit’s final communique, which holds the Israeli occupation accountable for undermining efforts and mediations aimed at halting the aggression in the Gaza Strip and obstructing all serious initiatives to achieve a just and comprehensive political solution to end the occupation and alleviate the Palestinian people’s suffering, which has persisted for over seven decades. The statement reaffirms the commitment to safeguarding the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, rejecting policies of siege, killing, starvation, and forced displacement, and calling for an immediate cessation of the aggression in Gaza while ensuring the urgent delivery of humanitarian and relief aid.

The Council also applauds the final communique’s call to pursue all feasible legal and effective measures to prevent the Israeli occupation from continuing its violations against the Palestinian people. Additionally, the Council welcomes the United Nations General Assembly’s overwhelming adoption of the “New York Declaration,” issued by the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Issue, which was co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France in July. The declaration supports the establishment of a Palestinian state with specific timelines, with its second session scheduled for September 22 in New York City. The Council emphatically endorses collective international efforts to secure recognition of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of lHis Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the terrorist attack on the village of Dar al-Jamal in northeast Nigeria, which claimed the lives and injured dozens of innocent people.

The Council unequivocally rejects such terrorist acts, which violate the noble teachings of Islam, all divine religions, and international conventions and norms that prohibit attacks on innocent civilians. It urges intensified international efforts to combat all forms of violence and terrorism and to promote values of coexistence, tolerance, and peace.

The Muslim Council of Elders extends its heartfelt condolences to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the families and loved ones of the victims, praying to Almighty Allah for a swift recovery for the injured.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, unequivocally condemns the attack launched by Israeli occupation forces on Doha, the capital of the State of Qatar. The Council affirms that this assault represents a blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and contravenes international laws and conventions that emphasize the importance of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Council expresses its unwavering solidarity with the State of Qatar in confronting this aggression and urges the international community to take decisive action to halt the Israeli occupation’s constant violations. It further warns of the severe dangers posed by such aggression as well as the serious repercussions it serves towards undermining peace efforts, which threaten the security and stability of the region and the world.

The Muslim Council of Elders also reiterates its call for the international community to pursue a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue by ending the aggression in the Gaza Strip, countering the Israeli occupation’s policies of killing, starvation, and forced displacement, ensuring unimpeded delivery of humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza, and upholding the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Muslim Council of Elders, chaired by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, expresses its solidarity with the Republic of Iraq for the victims of the collapse of a bridge under construction in Karbala Governorate, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of several people.

The Muslim Council of Elders extends its heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Iraq, as well as to the families and loved ones of the victims in this tragic loss, praying to Almighty Allah for a swift recovery for those injured.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, expresses its unwavering solidarity with the Arab Republic of Egypt in its resolute rejection of the Israeli occupation’s policies aimed at displacing Palestinians from their homeland. The Council supports Egypt’s continuous efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

The Council unequivocally condemns the statements by Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt or elsewhere. These statements violate international law and United Nations resolutions, constitute a blatant assault on the rights of the Palestinian people, and perpetuate the Israeli occupation’s ongoing violations aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause.

The Muslim Council of Elders reaffirms its support for the Egyptian, Arab, and Islamic stance advocating for the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. The Council urges the international community to take immediate action to halt the aggression in Gaza, ensure unhindered access to humanitarian and relief aid, protect innocent civilians, and end the Palestinian people’s suffering, which has endured for over seven decades.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Arab and Muslim nations on the occasion of the Prophet’s Birthday anniversary. The Council prays to Almighty God to bless this auspicious occasion for all humanity with goodness, prosperity, and blessings.

The Muslim Council of Elders affirms that the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) marked a profound turning point in human history. He laid the foundations of compassion, justice, and peace, called for coexistence and human fraternity, and promoted the values of tolerance and cooperation among all people. The Council emphasizes that commemorating this occasion provides a renewed opportunity to draw inspiration from the noble values brought by the noble Messenger (peace be upon him), and to reaffirm the commitment to follow his path in advancing goodness, love, and peace.

On this occasion, the Council calls upon the Muslim Ummah to emulate the character of the Prophet, revive his Sunnah, study his biography, and follow his guidance in all aspects of life. It underscores that the divine, moral, and legislative teachings embodied in the Prophetic tradition represent a roadmap to salvation for the Muslim Ummah and for the entire world.

The Muslim Council of Elders further reiterates that celebrating this great occasion is an inspiring opportunity to strengthen the unity of the Muslim Ummah, bring its people together, and foster its solidarity—especially in light of the challenges facing our world today. These challenges require a unified Arab and Islamic stance to end the aggression on Gaza, confront attempts of forced displacement, and affirm the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.