Faith Leaders in Indonesia Celebrate Grand Imam of Al-Azhar

The Indonesian Nahdlatul Ulama Association, the world's largest Islamic organization with over 120 million followers, organized a grand reception for His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders. The event was attended by leaders and figures of different religions in Indonesia, including Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Hindus, and Confucians. Thousands of leaders, symbols, and youth from the association attended the reception, while hundreds of thousands followed the event through a live broadcast.

In his speech at the event titled "Dialogue and Harmony between Religions and Civilizations," His Eminence stated that different religions and sects are essentially messages of peace to humanity, animals, plants, and nature as a whole. He emphasized that Islam, for example, does not permit Muslims to bear arms except in self-defence. He affirmed that Muslims have never fought others to force them into Islam, as Islam views non-Muslims through a lens of love and human fraternity, not hostility or suspicion. Several verses in the Quran explicitly stipulate that the relationship between Muslims and peaceful non-Muslims—regardless of their religions or sects—is one of love, kindness, and fairness.