Excluding religion from human life is the root of misery despite scientific progress.

Do not judge religion by extremists who betray its teachings.

Western civilization is not all good; parts of it destroy humanity.

Student delegation: We are honored to meet the Grand Imam … an inspiring leader.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad al-Tayyeb, received at Al-Azhar headquarters a delegation of students specializing in the Middle East studies from George Washington University, Washington DC and the American University in Cairo. The delegation was accompanied by Dr. Nathan Brown, Professor of Political Science at George Washington University, and Dr. Nadine Mourad Sika, Professor of Political Science at the American University in Cairo.

During the meeting, His Eminence affirmed that the period of seeking knowledge will remain a luminous period in a person's life, due to the awareness it brings, and developing a balanced mind and personality, capable of distinguishing between truth and falsehood, good and evil, beauty and ugliness. He emphasized the need to harness knowledge to serve peace and achieve social security and safety.

His Eminence pointed out that the world today has lost its mind, citing the inhuman suffering Palestinians are subjected to. He said, “Today we are witnessing tragic conditions in which Palestinians are unable to obtain even a sip of water, and in which they are being subjected to massacres committed in broad daylight without any international or UN action or prosecution of the unjust aggressors. This reflects a true crisis of the human conscience.”

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar pointed out the danger of modern man's superficial approach to religion, emphasizing that “attempts to exclude religion from people's lives are one of the reasons for the loss of true happiness, despite the tremendous scientific progress we are witnessing.” His Eminence added, “The twenty-first century's man is living the peak of technological progress, and yet he is at the peak of misery because he has tried to exclude religion and replace it with materialism and abstract science.” His Eminence emphasized that “science alone does not guarantee peace and security, because it is a double-edged sword and requires a moral guardian, and this guardianship can only be provided by religion.” He warned that technological progress has threatened the family system, and that the dominance of materialism and machines over human life has undermined the value system, replacing it with a materialistic system that threatens human nature.

His Eminence the Grand Imam criticized the negative impact of some aspects of Western civilization. He stated that “Western civilization is not all good; rather, it contains evils that threaten humanity itself.” He emphasized that “true humanity must not be driven by the arms trade and economies of destruction, because their consequences are not limited to their creators, but extend to encompass the entire world.”

The meeting also addressed issues of terrorism, extremism, and women's rights in Islam. His Eminence explained that Islam grants women a great status and clear rights. He also pointed out the danger of judging religion by the actions of some extremists and those who deviate from its teachings and guidance, and that if this standard were applied to all religions, no religion would be spared. He stated, “If we empower true religion in people's lives, it will lead them to Paradise in this world as well as the Hereafter.”

At the end of the meeting, the student delegation expressed their happiness at being at Al-Azhar and meeting with the Grand Imam. They noted their great appreciation for His Eminence's outstanding efforts in promoting a culture of peace and positive coexistence among peoples, and spreading the values of human brotherhood. The delegation commended the global initiatives and humanitarian stances of His Eminence, most notably co-signing the historic Human Fraternity Document with His Holiness Pope Francis, the former Pope of the Catholic Church, stressing that it represents an important moral and humanitarian reference in this era.