MCE Calls for Confronting Hate, intolerance

The Muslim Council of Elders, chaired by Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, affirms that combating hate speech, racism, intolerance, and discrimination is a moral, religious, and humanitarian imperative—especially in light of the growing global rise in violence, incitement, and social polarization, all of which pose a serious threat to communal harmony and human coexistence.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, observed annually on June 18, the Council warned of the dangers of turning a blind eye to verbal incitement, racist practices, and exclusionary rhetoric—particularly within digital and media spaces—which fuel hatred and resentment and create fertile ground for extremism and violence. The Council stressed the urgent need to enact binding legislation to curb such harmful discourse.

The statement emphasized that Islamic law forbids anything that incites division, hatred, or discord. As the Qur’an states: “And tell My ˹believing˺ servants to say what is best” [Qur’an 17:53], and as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught: “A kind word is charity.” Islam calls on its followers to uphold the values of compassion, mutual respect, and tolerance; to embrace diversity and pluralism; and to strengthen the principles of human fraternity—values that form the true foundation of peace and stability in societies and nations.

The Muslim Council of Elders continues to lead efforts to promote dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect through several pioneering initiatives, including East-West Dialogue, Intra-Islamic Dialogue, the International Peace Convoys, and the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, among others. 

The Document on Human Fraternity, signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis of the Catholic Church, clearly states that religions have never been a source of war, conflict, hatred, or extremism. 

Instead, it calls for an end to the misuse of religion to incite hatred, violence, extremism, and blind fanaticism, and urges all people of faith and goodwill to work together in spreading the values of tolerance, coexistence, and peace.