Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif received, on Wednesday at the headquarters of Al-Azhar, Mr. Muhammad Barkindo, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and his accompanying delegation. The Grand Imam said, “Islam is a religion of mercy for all creatures as Allah Almighty says in the holy Qur’an: “We have not sent you (O Prophet Muhammad), except as a mercy to the worlds”. (Qur’an, 21:107)   Thus, Allah says that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sent to “the worlds” in the plural form not only to a particular “world” in the singular form, the case which carries a meaning that many Muslims may be unaware of, i.e.,  Islam is a religion of mercy for the  worlds of animals, plants, human beings as well as all other creatures, HE also noted that the Holy Qur’an at the same time has acknowledged the diversity and differences among  people in many aspects including colour, religion, genre and language, and also decreed that the relationship among people should be that of cooperation and acquaintance and not of disagreement and conflict. 

His Eminence explained that Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif is fully aware of the importance of petroleum and its important role in achieving progress and prosperity for peoples. Therefore, Al-Azhar University was the first among the Egyptian universities to have a department for the study of petroleum, pointing out that the message of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif is a universal one as it receives more than 40,000 students from 108 countries around the world in various fields of specialization including scientific faculties such as Medicine, Engineering, Science, after they were being limited to join   the faculties specialized in the study of religious disciplines. 

On his part, Mr. Muhammad Barkindo, OPEC Secretary General, expressed his great appreciation for His Eminence, describing him as the spiritual leader of humanity. He added that Cairo has a special place for the OPEC for its being the first incubator for the meetings of the establishment of OPEC in the fifties of the last century. He also pointed out that education is the key to progress and prosperity in the whole world and the tool through which the optimal investment of resources can be achieved. 

At the end of the meeting, the Grand Imam presented a special copy of the Qur’an issued by Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif to OPEC Secretary General who also gave the Grand Imam a book about the story of the establishment of the OPEC from the first preparatory meeting in Cairo till the present time.