Dr. Ahmed Al-Haddad, Member of the Muslim Council of Elders: The Unity of the Muslim Ummah is a Religious Necessity to Address Contemporary Challenges
Dr. Ahmed Al-Haddad: The Muslim Council of Elders is Making Diligent Efforts to Unify the Ranks of the Muslim Ummah
Dr. Ahmed Al-Haddad: The Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference Represented a Qualitative Leap Towards Unifying the Word of Muslims Under the ‘Call for the People of Qiblah’
As part of its cultural and intellectual activities at the 34th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders organized a seminar titled “Intra-Islamic Dialogue: One Nation and One Shared Destiny.” The seminar was presented by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Haddad, member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Senior Mufti and Director of the Fatwa Department in Dubai, and member of the UAE Fatwa Council.
At the outset of the seminar, Dr. Al-Haddad emphasized that the unity of the Muslim Ummah is a fundamental pillar for achieving peace and stability. He pointed out that division and fragmentation open the doors to destruction, strife, and intellectual invasion. He clarified that the unity of the Muslim Ummah is a divine mandate outlined in the Glorious Quran and advocated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), where Allah Almighty commands the believers to hold fast to His rope and not be divided, as stated in the verse: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” (The Quran, 3:103).
Dr. Al-Haddad added that since its establishment, the Muslim Council of Elders has been keen on building bridges of dialogue among various religions and cultures. One of its most prominent milestones was the signing of the “Document on Human Fraternity,” in Abu Dhabi, in 2019 by His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. This event represented a historic moment that advanced the concept of coexistence and global peace.
He explained that after the Council’s success in extending bridges of dialogue with followers of other religions, it found an urgent need to focus on intra-Islamic dialogue due to the sectarian differences and divisions that have weakened the Ummah and led to its fragmentation. He confirmed that the call for internal unity has become a religious duty and a collective responsibility. He noted that the Bahrain Conference on Intra-Islamic Dialogue represented a qualitative leap in this direction, as it called for the unity of Muslims under the “Call for the People of Qiblah,” a charter launched by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, advocating for it to be a cornerstone for Islamic constants and joint collective action.
Dr. Al-Haddad concluded by affirming that the current challenges facing the Ummah, whether sectarian strife, intellectual or moral invasion, require the Ummah to be united. He pointed out that its strength can only be achieved through its unity and solidarity. He directed several important messages to all Muslims, emphasizing the necessity of realizing that Islamic unity is a religious obligation, not an option; adhering to ethical values derived from the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet; being aware of the dangers of division and what it causes in terms of fragmentation, weakness, and disintegration; enhancing cooperation and joint action among the members of the Ummah away from conflict; and prioritizing the interest of the Ummah over narrow interests. He further called for the cooperation of religious, scientific, and media authorities to instill the values of understanding and human fraternity.
The Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the 2025 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair presents more than 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including a number of the latest releases from Al-Hokama Publishing in 2025. These publications address the most prominent intellectual and cultural issues, stemming from the Council’s mission aimed at promoting peace and instilling the values of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence. The Council’s pavilion is located at Booth 10C35, Hall 10.
