His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al‑Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al‑Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, has received Dr. Mohammed bin Said Al Mamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, and his accompanying delegation to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation in religious, academic, and intellectual fields.
His Eminence expressed his deep appreciation for the longstanding and solid historical ties between Al‑Azhar and the Sultanate of Oman and its people. He praised the Omani model as one that embraces all, fosters genuine human fraternity, and promotes constructive coexistence. He reaffirmed that Al‑Azhar bears the responsibility of safeguarding the unity and cohesion of the Muslim Ummah, working to bring scholars together and address factors of division—particularly in light of the exceptional challenges facing the Arab and Islamic worlds today.
His Eminence added that, in partnership with the Muslim Council of Elders, Al‑Azhar launched the first edition of the “Intra–Islamic Dialogue” in February last year in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The goal, he noted, is to achieve scholarly unity, bring the scholars of the Ummah to one dialogue table, and work toward strengthening Islamic fraternity and turning the page on disagreements—thereby contributing to greater stability and reinforcing the values of cooperation and understanding across the Ummah.
For his part, Oman’s Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs affirmed Oman’s deep appreciation for the role of Al‑Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders in serving Islam, supporting the causes of the Ummah, fostering unity, and strengthening Islamic solidarity—efforts that, he said, are greatly needed in present times.