Bahrain to Host Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference on February 19–20

Under the patronage of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and in partnership with the Muslim Council of Elders, the Kingdom of Bahrain is set to host the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference on February 19–20.

 The conference will take place in Manama and will bring together His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, along with more than 400 prominent scholars, religious authorities, leaders, thinkers, intellectuals, and stakeholders from across the globe. Organized by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Bahrain, and the Muslim Council of Elders, the event will be held under the theme, “One Nation, One Shared Destiny.”

The conference comes as a response to the call initiated by His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar during the Bahrain Dialogue Forum in November 2022, which emphasized the need to enhance Islamic unity and solidarity. It aims to move beyond rapprochement rhetoric toward a deeper understanding of shared values and challenges, while also laying the foundation for a permanent mechanism for constructive academic dialogue across the Muslim world. 

The initiative seeks to unify the diverse components of the Muslim nation, highlight the vast areas of agreement among Muslims, and establish a framework for addressing these areas as a starting point for dialogue among Islamic sects. Additionally, it aims to strengthen the role of scholars and religious authorities in bridging sectarian divides, rejecting hate speech, promoting mutual respect and understanding, and fostering Islamic thought renewal to address causes of division and conflict, shared challenges, and to spotlight successful models in this realm.