Al-Azhar Grand Imam calls on the wise elders and scholars of Yemen to present new visions for rapprochement that can be implemented in a way that serves the interests of the Yemenis.

Yemen is dear to every Muslim, and the Prophet (PBUH) entrusted it to us.

Your efforts in supporting the issues of Islam and Muslims are appreciated, and we have benefited from them, Yemeni Minister of Endowments to the Grand Imam

His Eminence the Grand Imam said that our nation is going through a state of weakness due to division and fragmentation, which the Holy Quran warned us against: {and do not dispute with one another, or you would be discouraged and weakened} (Qur'an 8:46). This has exhausted the energies and resources of some Islamic countries and weakened them completely. It has also ignited the fuse of sectarian strife and creedal differences in some countries. His Eminence pointed out that some tried to revive national strife in other countries that escaped both exhaustion and sectarian strife to weaken them and spread a state of instability in their societies. His Eminence pointed out that the goal behind all of this is to serve the arms trade, and create permanent hotbeds for wars and conflicts to continue this deadly industry that is based and thrives on the lives of innocents.

During his meeting with Dr. Mohamed Shabiba, the Yemeni Minister of Endowments and Guidance, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar stressed that Yemen is a dear part of every Muslim, and the Prophet (PBUH) said, “The people of Yemen have come to you and they are more gentle and soft-hearted. Belief is Yemenite and Wisdom is Yemenite.” He noted that Al-Azhar is aware of the calamities that have befallen Yemen, and is making efforts to bring together its scholars who are at odds. This is based on Al-Azhar's belief that these scholars are capable of holding a meeting for peace and reconciliation with the knowledge and wisdom they have, as a prelude to bringing peace to every inch of Yemeni land. His Eminence stressed the need to work on presenting new visions for rapprochement that can be applied on the ground, in a way that serves the interests of the Yemeni people, based on the Almighty’s saying: {And hold firmly together to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided} (Qur'an 3:103).

Dr. Shabiba said: “We in Yemen hold Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and its imams and scholars in high esteem. Your efforts in supporting the causes of Islam and Muslims are appreciated and thanked, which have been of great benefit to us, and they will always be - God willing - through the teachers and scholars of Al-Azhar sent to our country, from whom we learn various sciences. Egypt and Al-Azhar have provided great support to Yemen in its ordeal, and whenever we visit Egypt we feel that we have not left Yemen, due to the large number of Yemeni students studying at Al-Azhar.”