MCE renews its call for intensified joint efforts to reduce and eliminate the phenomenon of Islamophobia

The Muslim Council of Elders, led by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, has affirmed that Islam is a religion of mercy, peace, tolerance, and mutual respect among all people, regardless of their differences and diversity. The Council warned against the continued deliberate distortion of Islamic teachings by spreading false claims about its tolerant teachings and moderate message, which came as peace and mercy to all mankind.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the Muslim Council of Elders renewed its call to all international institutions and global media to work towards reducing this dangerous phenomenon, which poses a serious threat to social peace and global stability. The Council emphasized the need to highlight the true image of Islam, whose teachings promote ethical values that enhance coexistence, tolerance, and human fraternity.

The statement highlighted that the Document on Human Fraternity, signed by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, in Abu Dhabi in 2019, emphasized the freedom of belief, thought, expression, and practice for all human beings. It affirmed that diversity and differences in religion, color, gender, race, and language manifest Allah's divine wisdom, as God created humans on this basis, making it a firm foundation from which the rights of freedom of belief stem. The Document also criminalizes coercing people into a specific religion or culture or imposing a civilizational lifestyle that is unacceptable to others. The Document affirms that dialogue, understanding, and the dissemination of a culture of tolerance, acceptance of others, and peaceful coexistence among people can contribute to containing many social, political, economic, and environmental problems that affect a large part of humanity.

The statement concluded by calling for the strengthening of joint efforts to build bridges of communication and understanding among different religions and cultures, rejecting hate speech and extremism, and promoting a culture of peace and tolerance as a fundamental step towards building a tolerant global community. It clarified that religious diversity is an opportunity, not an obstacle, to achieving peace, security, and safety worldwide, and building a better future for humanity and future generations