Thousands of Thai Muslims from 45 Provinces Meet Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Bangkok

The Islamic Center in the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, organized a public meeting for Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, with Thai Muslims.

Thousands of Thai Muslims from 45 provinces attended the event, along with Sheikh Aaron Boon Shum (Mohammed Jalaluddin Bin Hussein), Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars of Thailand, and other senior religious leaders and imams from Thailand.

The Grand Imam expressed his happiness at being among this gathering of scholars, thinkers, and Thai imams and noted that when he sees thousands of Thais who have studied at Al-Azhar, he feels as though he has not left Al-Azhar. He expressed his joy that this visit coincides with the celebration of the Islamic New Year, allowing him to celebrate this cherished occasion with Thai Muslims. He prayed for continued security, peace, progress, and stability for everyone.

The Grand Imam emphasized that the doors of Al-Azhar are open to Thai Muslims, mentioning that Al-Azhar offers 160 scholarships annually for Thai Muslims to study at Al-Azhar University. He expressed Al-Azhar's readiness to increase these scholarships to meet the needs of the Muslim community in Thailand. He explained that since its inception, Al-Azhar has been dedicated to explaining and interpreting the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad for Muslims worldwide, including non-Muslims. Al-Azhar's mission is to spread the message of Islam, which is based on peace among all people, as well as peace between humans and the plant, animal, and inanimate worlds.

The Grand Imam pointed out that the Quran not only promotes peace among Muslims but also explicitly advocates for peace between Muslims and non-Muslims. The relationship between Muslims and others is based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as indicated by the verse "to know one another," which means to exchange goodwill and good treatment.

He emphasized that the Quran established the foundations for relationships between different civilizations and religions, based on understanding, respect, and acceptance of diversity. Al-Azhar has recognized the need to practically implement this concept by taking serious steps to establish local, regional, and global peace.