Dr. Maria Mohammed Al Hatali, Secretary-General of the UAE Council for Fatwa: We must work to renew religious discourse in a modern and balanced way to reach youth through the platforms they use.
Dr. Mahmoud Najah, Imam of Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque in Abu Dhabi: The values of monotheism and human dignity are a shared foundation among religions.
Rev. Bishoy Fakhri, Pastor of the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Anthony in Abu Dhabi: Peace is the essence of faith, not a secondary option.
S.P. Singh, Chief Sikh Priest and Director General of the Sikh Temple in the UAE: The unity of humanity lies at the heart of the message of religions.
As part of its cultural and intellectual program at the 34th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders hosted a seminar titled “The Message of Religions for Coexistence and Peace.” The seminar featured a distinguished panel including Dr. Maria Mohammed Al Hatali, Secretary-General of the UAE Council for Fatwa; Dr. Mahmoud Najah, Imam and preacher of Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque at the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi; Rev. Bishoy Fakhri, Pastor of the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Anthony in Abu Dhabi; and Mr. S.P. Singh, Chief Sikh Priest and Director General of the Sikh Temple in the UAE.
Opening the seminar, Dr. Maria Al Hatali expressed her appreciation for the Muslim Council of Elders’ efforts to amplify the voice of religions in addressing global challenges and countering hate speech and violence. She emphasized the importance of shared religious values—such as belief in human dignity, freedom of belief, citizenship, and justice—noting that these values are common to Islam and other divine traditions.
She further explained that extremist groups have distorted religious texts to manipulate and recruit youth, pointing out that 80% of recruitment and radicalization takes place through social media platforms. Dr. Al Hatali stressed the urgent need to renew religious discourse so that it is balanced, relevant, and capable of engaging young people through the digital platforms they use.
Dr. Mahmoud Najah expressed thanks to the United Arab Emirates for its pioneering efforts in promoting human fraternity and fostering a culture of coexistence and mutual respect. He praised the mission of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, for its commitment to peacebuilding and the promotion of dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence.
He affirmed that the core values shared across all heavenly religions are rooted in the belief in the oneness of God, pointing out that the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran all converge on this central principle. He added that all divine laws have consistently emphasized the dignity of the human being, equality among people, and the idea of mutual understanding as a basis for peaceful relations rather than conflict.
Rev. Bishoy Fakhri underscored that peace is the essence of faith, not a secondary option. He stated: “We live in a world overwhelmed by the noise of division, yet as followers of divine religions, we carry the light of peace and love.” He expressed his regret that religion is at times misused as a tool for violence and hatred, and he called for the dissemination of religious messages through modern digital platforms to reach younger generations in a language they understand.
Mr. S.P. Singh, Chief Sikh Priest and Director General of the Sikh Temple in the UAE, praised the Muslim Council of Elders for its message of human fraternity, interfaith dialogue, and global peace. He affirmed that the teachings of religions emphasize the unity of humanity, despite cultural and linguistic differences.
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.
