Grand Imam: Al-Azhar Bears Responsibility for the Unity and Cohesion of the Ummah and Seeks to Unite Its Scholars and Confront the Causes of Division
The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad at-Tayyeb, received Prof. Mohammed bin Said bin Khalfan al Maamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, along with his accompanying delegation, at al-Azhar headquarters to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of religion, academia, and intellectual exchange.
Notably, His Eminence the Grand Imam said that al-Azhar cherishes the strong historical ties that bind it to the Sultanate of Oman and its good people, praising the Omani model capable of containing everyone, achieving true human fraternity, and constructive coexistence, stressing that al-Azhar bears responsibility for the unity and cohesion of the nation, and seeking to unite its scholars and confront the causes of division, especially in light of the exceptional challenges that the Arab and Islamic world are going through.
Furthermore, His Eminence added that, in line with this role, al-Azhar launched the first edition of the Islamic Dialogue Conference in February last year in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The conference aimed to achieve scholarly unity by bringing together the scholars of the Ummah at one dialogue table and working to promote Islamic brotherhood and close the chapters of disagreement in a manner that contributes to enhancing stability and consolidating the values of cooperation and mutual understanding among the people of the Ummah.
For his part, the Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman expressed his pleasure at meeting the Grand Imam and conveyed his country’s deep appreciation for al-Azhar’s role in serving Islam and supporting the causes of the Ummah. Moreover, he emphasized that al-Azhar serves as a platform of wisdom and moderation and a solid reference point for reuniting and unifying the Islamic community, which is precisely what the Ummah needs at this stage.
