The year 2023 witnessed an important visit by His Eminence Al-Azhar Grand Imam and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, Prof. Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, to the German capital, Berlin, to participate in the international meeting titled "The Audacity of Peace", organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio from September 10th to 12th. The visit witnessed many important meetings with many leaders, officials and those interested in the field of interfaith dialogue and issues of peace and coexistence.

The Grand Imam meets with representatives of Muslim communities in Germany

His Eminence the Grand Imam began his visit to Berlin by meeting with a delegation of representatives of Muslim communities in Germany, where he discussed with them the most important issues facing Muslims in Germany. He tackled ways of Al-Azhar’s scientific and dawah support for them and helping them to integrate positively into German society. He stressed his readiness to host German imams and train them at Al-Azhar Global Academy for Training Imams, Preachers, and Fatwa Researchers, where a special curriculum for them can be designed and taught by an elite group of senior professors and scholars from Al-Azhar to suit the nature of German society.

The delegation expressed their great happiness for meeting His Eminence. They expressed their appreciation for the efforts made by His Eminence to correct the false image of Islam, in addition to His Eminence’s determination to support Muslims living in the West, to support the stability of societies and to spread global peace, values of human brotherhood and peaceful coexistence.

The Grand Imam meets the Iranian Ambassador to Germany

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, received Mr. Mahmoud Farazandeh, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Federal Republic of Germany. 

His Eminence affirmed during the meeting that the state of division and dispersion of Muslims today is due to un-Islamic tendencies that the Holy Qur’an warned against in the Almighty’s saying, “and do not dispute with one another, or you would be discouraged and weakened” (Qur’an, 8:46). This led to the division of the Islamic ranks, and Muslims, and the lack of the Islamic vision and unified goal that we can resort to despite the differences of opinion.

The Grand Imam also stressed that the most prominent contemporary global challenge is the taking away of religious and moral, and even human, values from any aspect of scientific progress. His Eminence stressed that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif is committed to the unity of Muslims, and that it will not hesitate to do anything in its power to impose this unity on the Islamic map, no matter what hardships and challenges it will face.

For his part, the Iranian Ambassador expressed his happiness for meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. He noted that Iran believes in the power of Al-Azhar and its ability to unite Muslims, stressing his country’s welcome of the Islamic-Islamic dialogue that His Eminence called for at the Bahrain Dialogue Forum, and appreciation for the efforts made by the Grand Imam to achieve rapprochement between various schools of Islamic thought.

 

The Grand Imam meets the President of Germany

His Eminence the Grand Imam also met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the German Republic, to discuss ways to combat the increasing of Islamophobia in Europe, and to address insults against religious sanctities and the hostility towards Islam and Muslims. 

His Eminence stressed that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif is keen to spread the values of peace and human brotherhood locally and globally, and that it had made great strides in promoting the values of peace globally, which culminated in signing the historic Document on Human Fraternity with His Holiness Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi in 2019, and this is a message that carries good to the whole world.

The Grand Imam pointed out that Al-Azhar condemns offending, not only Islam, but any religion, and that it respects the sanctities of all religions. He explained that just as Al-Azhar condemned burning the Holy Qur’an, it also had a clear position towards burning churches, and the attacks on Christians in Pakistan. He stressed that both positions stem from a real and firm belief that there is no way out of modern man’s crises except through dialogue, the culture of rapprochement, coexistence and integration, and that dialogue should replace fanaticism and hatred.

The German President, for his part, gave the Grand Imam a warm welcome, and stressed that he follows up on the great efforts made by His Eminence to promote the values of coexistence, brotherhood, and equality among all. He added that he appreciates the brotherly relationship between the Grand Imam and His Holiness Pope Francis.

 

The Grand Imam sends inspiring messages during “Audacity of Peace” 

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, opened the “The Audacity of Peace,” an international meeting for peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, held in Berlin, Germany, during the period September 10-12, 2023. At the outset, His Eminence extended his sincere condolences to the people of the Kingdom of Morocco for the tragedy that befell the country and broke people’s hearts everywhere. He asked Allah Almighty to grant the victims His vast forgiveness and mercy, to grant their families and relatives patience, to strengthen their hearts, and to grant the injured a speedy recovery. 

His Eminence also thanked the Community of Sant’Egidio for inviting him to the meeting, which reflects the insistence of the association on adopting the call for human brotherhood and world peace, which qualifies it to win the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity this year.

During his speech, the Grand Imam presented a group of important messages that are considered a beacon and method for the world’s salvation from the scourges of conflict, disagreement, and wars. He stressed that the world is currently in dire need of listening to the voice of the divine religions— the voice of reason, wisdom and understanding. His Eminence added that there is no hope of getting out of the crises of our world except by following the guidance of the divine religion as revealed by Allah, as guidance and mercy for people, not as exploited by some adherents for political gains.

His Eminence also pointed out that scientific progress has not been accompanied by parallel progress in moral responsibility, as it has become clear that the relationship between technological advancements and wars have become deeply intertwined. He added that, through a mysterious and suspicious arrangement, terrorism has claimed the lives of people in the name of Islam and spread corruption in the Middle East; not long after it waned, the region fell victim to a new series of wars the devastating effects of which are still going on.

His Eminence also pointed out that when some governments support the burning of the Noble Qur’an under the guise of freedom of expression, they befool their own people. He added that the crime of burning churches is equivalent in offence to the crime of burning the Qur’an. His Eminence also stressed that depriving the Palestinian people of their rights and expelling them from their land and the silence of the civilized world regarding this human tragedy is a longstanding and grave injustice.

Regarding Al-Azhar Al-Sharif’s caring for women’s rights, His Eminence affirmed that Islam has recognized women’s rights to learning and education, and their rights to serving their society and performing tasks that fit their nature. Islam has called on women to do so for nearly one thousand and five hundred years. He added that depriving them of these rights is contrary to what Islam has approved. He affirmed that since the creation of Adam (PBUH), humanity has settled upon the family system, and that distorting the nature of this system and tampering with the fates and rights of its members, will inevitably lead to the demise of the human race. 

The Grand Imam meets the Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference

During the visit, His Eminence the Grand Imam received Bishop Georg Bätzing, Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, in the presence of Judge Muhammad Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE).

His Eminence expressed the importance of the meetings that bring religious leaders and scholars together. His Eminence believes that peace cannot be brought to the masses before it is preceded by dialogue and peace between religions. He added that Al-Azhar has continued its positive openness to dialogue with various religious bodies and institutions inside and outside Egypt, such as the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches, and the Canterbury Cathedral. The result of this dialogue was the reconciliation of points of view, and the ability to benefit from it in providing good to people. 

The Grand Imam stressed that education comes at the forefront of the foundations necessary to instill interfaith dialogue in societies, represented by respect and acceptance of others, especially in the early stages of education. Therefore, the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE) took the initiative to work on spreading the Human Fraternity Document and including texts from it in school curricula to reinforce the principles of human brotherhood globally.

Bishop Bätzing expressed his happiness for meeting the Grand Imam, and his appreciation for his efforts to consolidate the values of brotherhood, peace, and interfaith dialogue. He stressed that the speech of the Grand Imam at the international meeting for peace held by the Community of Sant’Egidio carried important messages and was a source of inspiration to exert more effort to consolidate human fraternity and peace.

 

The Grand Imam meets Arigatou International delegation

His Eminence the Grand Imam also received a delegation from the Arigatou International Foundation headed by Rev. Keishi Miyamoto, President of the foundation, and Dr. Mustafa Yusuf Ali, Secretary-General of the Global Network of Religions for Children. They invited His Eminence to participate in the Executive Committee of the foundation’s Sixth International Forum, which is held under the title “Together for Children,” in the presence of more than 600 religious figures from around the world in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi.

The Grand Imam expressed his appreciation for all institutions concerned with protecting children and preserving their rights, noting that Islam guarantees the rights of children even while they are still in their mothers’ wombs. Islam guarantees children the right to education and upbringing in a healthy environment in accordance with common sense. His Eminence declared that children have the right to grow up according to innate human nature in a family consisting of a male and a female. However, the new global trend is trying to sabotage this innate view of marriage and destroy the family system, and targets children at an early age. He noted that if we do not pay attention to the danger of this trend, we will be complicit in the crime committed against our children and future generations.

For his part, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto expressed his appreciation for what His Eminence is doing to raise awareness of children’s rights. He added that he is aware of the Grand Imam’s efforts and his multiple participations in the Interfaith Leaders’ Summit under the title “Promoting the Dignity of the Child in the Digital World.” He stressed the organization’s desire for His Eminence’s participation in the sixth edition of the organization’s international forum “Together for Children,” which is held for the first time in an Arab country - the United Arab Emirates - to demonstrate Islam’s correct position on protecting children and confronting extremist groups that abuse children and exploit them on the front lines in wars and conflicts.