Al-Azhar And Muslim Council Work Towards Global Peace And Coexistence

The Islamic Centre in Bangkok hosted a public meeting for Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders. Thousands of Thai Muslims from 45 provinces attended, along with Sheikh Aaron Boon Shum (Mohammed Jalaluddin Bin Hussein), Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars of Thailand, and other senior religious leaders.

During his speech, the Grand Imam expressed his joy at being among Thai scholars, thinkers, and imams. He noted that seeing thousands of Thais who studied at Al-Azhar made him feel as though he had not left Al-Azhar. He was pleased that his visit coincided with the Islamic New Year celebrations, allowing him to share this special occasion with Thai Muslims. He prayed for continued security, peace, progress, and stability for everyone.

The Grand Imam emphasised that Al-Azhar University offers 160 scholarships annually to Thai Muslims. He expressed readiness to increase these scholarships to meet the needs of the Muslim community in Thailand. Since its inception, Al-Azhar has been dedicated to explaining and interpreting the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad for Muslims worldwide.

He highlighted that Al-Azhar's mission is to spread Islam's message based on peace among all people and between humans and nature. The Quran promotes peace among Muslims and explicitly advocates for peace between Muslims and non-Muslims. The relationship between Muslims and others is based on mutual understanding and coexistence.

The Grand Imam explained that Al-Azhar aims to promote peace and affirm the culture of coexistence and mutual respect. Locally, initiatives like "The Egyptian Family House," launched by Al-Azhar in cooperation with Egyptian churches, aim to eradicate sectarian strife in Egypt. Regionally, efforts focus on unifying the Islamic Ummah through dialogue between different Islamic schools of thought.

Globally, Al-Azhar has engaged with religious and cultural institutions in the West, such as the Vatican and Canterbury Cathedral. These efforts led to the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity between Al-Azhar and the Vatican in 2019. The document aims to foster global peace through mutual understanding.

Support for Thai Muslims

Sheikh Aaron Boon Shum expressed immense gratitude on behalf of Thai Muslims for the support provided by Al-Azhar. This includes scholarships, sending emissaries to Thailand, hosting Thai imams for training at Al-Azhar Academy for Training Imams and Preachers, and establishing a branch of the World Organisation for Al-Azhar Graduates in Thailand.

He noted that many Thais have graduated from Al-Azhar University and hold prominent positions in various ministries and institutions. He praised Al-Azhar's authenticity and dedication to serving Sharia while spreading enlightened thought worldwide. The wise leadership of the Grand Imam plays a significant role in promoting fraternity among followers of different religions.

The Grand Imam also pointed out that the Quran established foundations for relationships between different civilisations based on understanding, respect, and acceptance of diversity. To practically implement this concept, serious steps have been taken by Al-Azhar to establish local, regional, and global peace.

The event underscored how deeply intertwined education, religious dialogue, and peaceful coexistence are within Al-Azhar's mission. It highlighted ongoing efforts to support Thai Muslims through educational opportunities while fostering global harmony through interfaith initiatives.

With inputs from WAM