Challenges, Prospects of Intra-Islamic Dialogue - Seminar at Sharjah Book Fair

The Muslim Council of Elders' pavilion at the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair hosted a seminar titled "Intra-Islamic Dialogue: Challenges and Prospects for Achieving Unity." The seminar featured His Eminence Dr. Ahmad Abdul Aziz Al-Haddad, a member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Senior Mufti at the Fatwa Department in Dubai, and member of the UAE Fatwa Council, alongside Dr. Ridwan Al-Sayyid, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Humanities. The discussion was moderated by Khalifa Khalid, a participant in the Emerging Peacemakers Forum. The seminar focused on the importance of fostering unity and collaboration within the Muslim world, responding to the call by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, during the Bahrain Dialogue Forum in November 2022. This call emphasized that religious fraternity is the foundation of human fraternity and that unity is essential for ensuring stability and strength in the face of global challenges.

Dr. Ahmad Abdul Aziz Al-Haddad highlighted the critical role of intra-Islamic dialogue in uniting Muslims and fostering mutual understanding. He stressed the importance of identifying shared principles, such as faith in Allah and the practice of religious rituals, while using constructive dialogue to address differences. He explained that dialogue in Islam is a tool for achieving harmony, correcting misconceptions, and resolving conflicts, citing examples from the Quran and Sunnah. Dr. Al-Haddad commended the Muslim Council of Elders for its efforts to promote dialogue and praised its initiative to organize the Islamic Dialogue Conference in Bahrain next February. He described this conference as a strategic step toward uniting the Muslim world and demonstrating its collective stance to the global community.

Dr. Ridwan Al-Sayyid discussed how contemporary challenges in Islamic relations are linked to modern contexts and complexities. He reflected on past initiatives in the mid-20th century when scholars and thinkers from various sects collaborated to address modernity and global changes, focusing on jurisprudential matters that could unite rather than divide. Dr. Al-Sayyid praised the Grand Imam’s call for unity and expressed optimism about the upcoming Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference in Bahrain in early 2025. He noted that the conference will bring together Muslims from diverse sects, ideologies, and cultures under the shared declaration of faith.