PRESS RELEASES

The Muslim Council of Elders, led by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the terrorist attack on a Catholic Church in Kumanda, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which claimed the lives of dozens of innocent civilians and injured others.

The Council categorically rejects such terrorist acts, which contravene the teachings of Islam, all divine religions, international laws, conventions, and universal human and ethical values that prohibit attacks on places of worship and mandate their protection, preservation, and respect.

The Muslim Council of Elders underscores that targeting places of worship constitutes a flagrant assault on the sanctity of human life and sacred sites, representing an indefensible crime under any pretext. It reaffirms its unwavering stance against all forms of violence and terrorism, urging resolute action to counter extremist groups that aim to sow destruction, chaos, and instability.

The Council extends its heartfelt condolences to the Democratic Republic of Congo—its leadership and people—and to the families of the innocent victims, praying that Almighty Allah grants them patience and solace, and a swift recovery to those injured.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, welcomes the announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding France’s intention to recognize the State of Palestine.

The Council expresses its appreciation for this decision, which is poised to bolster international efforts toward achieving a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue. It supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international resolutions.

The Muslim Council of Elders reiterates its call to the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and act immediately to halt the aggression in the Gaza Strip, ensure the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian and relief aid, and support all Arab and international efforts to end the Palestinian people’s suffering, which has persisted for over seven decades. These efforts aim to promote peace and stability in the region and around the world.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under thebchairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, commends the historic and pivotal role of the Arab Republic of Egypt—its leadership and people—in championing the Palestinian cause. The Council strongly denounces baseless propaganda and unfounded accusations aimed at undermining Egypt’s defense of the Palestinian cause and its support for the Palestinian people.

The Council expresses profound appreciation for Egypt’s unwavering commitment to advocating for Palestinian rights across regional and international forums. Egypt has tirelessly provided political, diplomatic, humanitarian, and relief support to the people of Gaza and the broader Palestinian population, reflecting a deep-rooted dedication to the Arab and Islamic nation’s issues. This serves as an exemplary model of fraternal solidarity and historical responsibility toward the Palestinian cause, which remains central to the Arab and Islamic conscience.

The Council highly praises Egypt’s continuous efforts to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation and unify Palestinian ranks to address current and future challenges. It also emphasizes that Egypt has been, and will remain, a steadfast supporter of the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to reclaim their rights and establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Furthermore, the Council applauds the diplomatic and relief efforts by Arab nations to support the Palestinian people and the oppressed residents of Gaza. It urges the international community and all influential actors to support Egypt’s and other Arab nations’ initiatives to secure a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue, ensuring the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights and promoting security and stability in the region and beyond.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, unequivocally condemns the Israeli occupation’s attack on the Holy Family Church in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in multiple deaths and injuries.

The Council firmly rejects such attacks, which represent a flagrant violation of international laws, conventions, and norms prohibiting assaults on places of worship and the targeting of innocent civilians. It warns of the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to the ongoing aggression against the besieged territory and the obstruction of humanitarian and relief aid.

The Muslim Council of Elders renews its call to the international community to uphold its responsibility to protect religious sanctities and civilian institutions, urgently work to end the aggression in the Gaza Strip, and affirm the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent state 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, strongly condemns the Israeli occupation’s plans to transfer administrative control of the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs and the Hebron Municipality to the Jewish Religious Council in the Kiryat Arba Settlement.

The Council unequivocally rejects such provocative actions, which undermine efforts to achieve stability and constitute a grave violation of the historical and legal status of the Ibrahimi Mosque. It urges respect for the established status of holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Muslim Council of Elders renews calls to the international community to uphold and protect sacred sites by preserving their religious and historical significance, and urgently address the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people, which has persisted for over seven decades. The Council further demands an immediate end to the aggression in the Gaza Strip, the unobstructed delivery of humanitarian and relief aid, and the recognition of the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to establish an independent state 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, offers its heartfelt condolences to the Republic of Iraq for the victims of a devastating fire at a commercial center in Al-Kut, which claimed numerous lives and caused multiple injuries.

The Council stands in solidarity with Iraq’s leadership, government, and people during this tragic ordeal, praying that Almighty Allah grants a swift recovery to the injured.

Muslim Council of Elders Calls for a Global Strategy to Combat Hatred, Extremism, and Islamophobia

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, vehemently condemns the terrorist attack that claimed the life of Rahma Ayat, an Algerian student, in Hannover, northwestern Germany.

The Council calls for the urgent development of a global strategy to address all forms of racism, extremism, hatred, and Islamophobia. Likewise, it advocates for decisive measures to enact binding legislation criminalizing such reprehensible terrorism while fostering dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, peace, mutual respect, and human fraternity.

The Muslim Council of Elders extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the late student, praying that Almighty Allah envelops her in His boundless mercy, grants her a place in His vast heavens, and provides her family and loved ones with patience and solace.

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, strongly condemns the heinous terrorist bombing that targeted a church in Damascus, Syria, resulting in the deaths of several innocent victims and the injury of others.

The Council firmly rejects such terrorist acts, which stand in complete contradiction to the righteous teachings of Islam, all divinely revealed religions, international laws and norms, and universally shared moral and humanitarian values. These values unequivocally prohibit any harm to places of worship and call for their protection and respect.

The Council stresses that targeting places of worship constitutes a blatant violation of the sanctity of life and sacred sites, and is a crime that cannot be justified under any pretext. It reaffirms its unwavering stance in rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism and calls for decisive action against extremist groups that seek to spread destruction, instability, and division among members of the same nation.

As the Muslim Council of Elders condemns this atrocious act, it extends its heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, wishes a swift recovery to the injured, and prays that Almighty Allah safeguard Syria and its people from all harm and evil.

Muslim Council of Elders: The Refugee Crisis Tests the Global Conscience and Its Commitment to Justice, Compassion, and Equity

The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar underscores that the refugee crisis is not merely a transient humanitarian issue but a persistent challenge to the world’s conscience and its dedication to justice, compassion, and equity. The Council calls for urgent international action to develop fair solutions, provide aid, alleviate refugees’ suffering, and establish binding international laws to protect them and uphold their right to live with dignity.

In a statement on World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20, the Muslim Council of Elders emphasizes that the refugee crisis transcends mere numbers and statistics, embodying the profound suffering of individuals and families stripped of their fundamental rights and deprived of safety and stability. The Council expresses deep concern over the worsening plight of refugees amid ongoing global crises, wars, and conflicts. It stressed that supporting refugees extends beyond emergency aid, necessitating efforts to address the root causes of conflicts and ensure the safe, voluntary return of those who have lost their homes and shelter.

The Muslim Council of Elders applauds pioneering humanitarian initiatives that provide protection and assistance to refugees and displaced persons, addressing their essential needs for shelter, food, medicine, and education while safeguarding their full human rights. It also recognizes the vital support offered to host countries and communities bearing the greatest burden of accommodating refugees. The Council notes that the Document on Human Fraternity, co-signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis of the Catholic Church, called for alleviating the suffering of refugees, the marginalized, the poor, and those without homes or shelter, without exclusion or discrimination.

The Muslim Council of Elders, chaired by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, affirms that combating hate speech, racism, intolerance, and discrimination is a moral, religious, and humanitarian imperative—especially in light of the growing global rise in violence, incitement, and social polarization, all of which pose a serious threat to communal harmony and human coexistence.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, observed annually on June 18, the Council warned of the dangers of turning a blind eye to verbal incitement, racist practices, and exclusionary rhetoric—particularly within digital and media spaces—which fuel hatred and resentment and create fertile ground for extremism and violence. The Council stressed the urgent need to enact binding legislation to curb such harmful discourse.

The statement emphasized that Islamic law forbids anything that incites division, hatred, or discord. As the Qur’an states: “And tell My ˹believing˺ servants to say what is best” [Qur’an 17:53], and as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught: “A kind word is charity.” Islam calls on its followers to uphold the values of compassion, mutual respect, and tolerance; to embrace diversity and pluralism; and to strengthen the principles of human fraternity—values that form the true foundation of peace and stability in societies and nations.

The Muslim Council of Elders continues to lead efforts to promote dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect through several pioneering initiatives, including East-West Dialogue, Intra-Islamic Dialogue, the International Peace Convoys, and the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, among others. The Document on Human Fraternity, signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis of the Catholic Church, clearly states that religions have never been a source of war, conflict, hatred, or extremism. Instead, it calls for an end to the misuse of religion to incite hatred, violence, extremism, and blind fanaticism, and urges all people of faith and goodwill to work together in spreading the values of tolerance, coexistence, and peace.