The Muslim Council of Elders, under the leadership of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, has urged for cooperative international efforts to combat extremism and terrorism by eliminating their ideological and intellectual roots through the advancement of dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.
In a statement honouring the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, commemorated on August 21 each year, the Council restates its unequivocal rejection of all shapes of violence, hatred, and terrorism, which reject the teachings of Islam, all divine religions, and international regulations.
The Council also underlined that addressing extremism and terrorism is a religious, human, and moral responsibility demanding the concerted actions of the global community. The Council also encourages support for survivors of terrorist attacks and those affected by growing hate speech, advocating for their positive reintegration into society, managing the psychological and physical effects they have endured, and aiding them in reclaiming their normal lives.
It emphasised its significant efforts through various initiatives and schemes to promote a culture of peace and human coexistence, right misconceptions, dismantle extremist ideologies and boost awareness of the dangers posed by fierce terrorist groups. These measures include organising seven rounds of exchange between East and West, more than 15 international peace convoys across different continents to enable Muslims to integrate positively into their neighbourhoods, and launching the Emerging Peacemakers Forum to improve the role of youth in promoting peace and human coexistence.
These endeavours culminated in the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Francis. The landmark paper, one of the most important in modern history, asserts that religions have never been a reason for wars or a source of hatred, hostility, or extremism and calls for an end to the backing of terrorist movements, considering such support a crime against international stability and security.
Furthermore, the Council has arranged numerous seminars and international conferences aimed at fostering peace and human coexistence. Prominent among these are the International Seminar on the Role of Religions in Promoting Peace and Opposing Violence and Hatred (2016), the International Seminar on Islam and the West: Towards an Understanding, Integrated World (2016), the Muslim Council of Elders Conference for Achieving Peace in Myanmar (2017), the World Peace Conference (2017).
The Muslim Council of Elders has also carried a steadfast and clear perspective on the Palestinian issue, backing for the Palestinian people’s rights to establish a state with East Jerusalem as its capital and championing the peace process. It has unequivocally denied all attempts to Judaise Jerusalem and any material and spatial division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. Additionally, the Council has prompted educational institutions in the Arab and Muslim world to introduce the history of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the importance of Jerusalem in Islam.
