Advocating the so-called “Abrahamic Religion” is a confiscation of freedom of belief … Abrahamism is like globalism in that it seemingly promotes collectivity while essentially promoting confiscation of freedom of belief
During his speech at the EFH 10th anniversary celebrations, HE the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb asserted that honesty dictates offering a clarification and a warning that dispels the doubts raised by some people in their attempt to distract the minds away from the EFH efforts and thus render it inert or ineffective. He further stressed that such a perplexing matter is trying to cause confusion between Islamic-Christian fraternity, aimed at defending the right of the Egyptian citizen to live in security, peace, and stability, on the one hand, and the merging of the two religions, where their differences dissolve, especially within the trends claiming a one religion, called Abrahamism or the religion of Abraham. Such a trend affiliates with the Father of Prophets, Abraham (pbuh), the source for all heavenly messages and laws. Seemingly, these calls aspire to merge Judaism, Christianity and Islam in one message or one religion through which people are united with the alleged purpose of avoiding the scourge of disputes and conflicts that lead to bloodshed and armed conflicts between people, even between the followers of one and the same religion and even the believers in the same faith. Such a claim, the Grand Imam noted, is similar to theories of globalization, the end of history, “global ethics”, etc. Although it seemingly preaches human unity and collectivity and eliminates the roots of conflicts and struggles, it is essentially a call for confiscation of the most precious asset for humankind, i.e. freedom of belief and freedom of choice, which are ensured in religions and underscored in their canonical texts. In other words, this call involves much more wishful thinking than proper recognition of essential facts. And though we have not yet witnessed the characteristics or features of this nascent Abrahamic religion, out of our belief in our heavenly messages, we believe that people’s alleged agreement to follow one religion or one divine message is innately impossible, since Allah has created them apparently different in their colors, beliefs, mentalities and languages, and even in their finger and eye prints. This is an established scientific fact and, primarily, a Qur’anic fact, as the Qur’an stipulates that Allah has created people to be different and that, had He so willed, He would have created them all in one color, one language, or one mind, or as followers of one and the same faith. This differences shall persist until the Judgment Day, as Almighty Allah says, “Had your Lord so willed, He would have certainly made all humanity one single community, but they will always differ.” (Qur’an, 11: 118) Almighty Allah also indicates that He has created both believers and non-believers; “He is the One Who has created you, some of you are disbelievers while some are believers. And Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.” (Qur’an, 64: 2) Accordingly, the Grand Imam concluded, Al-Azhar’s openness to Egyptian churches and clergy, especially the Orthodox Church, and these churches’ openness to Al-Azhar is not, as alleged by some, an attempt to dissolve the differences in creeds, doctrines or religions. It is hard for some to distinguish respect for the creed of the other from belief in it. They can hardly distinguish the manifest difference between respect for the creed of the other on the one hand, and acknowledgement of it on the other. In this sense, we rightly perceive the Almighty’s saying, “There is no compulsion in religion;” (Qur’an, 2: 256) and "To each of you We prescribed a law and a method." (Qur’an, 5: 48), to cite but a few examples. Indeed, Al-Azhar’s openness to other religious institutions inside and outside Egypt is meant to quest for common grounds in heavenly religions and cling to them with the purpose of delivering humanity from its contemporary crisis, and freeing it from the besetting injustices of the potent and the arrogance and transgression of the despots.