Grand Imam calls for ‘Muslim-Muslim talks’ at Bahrain forum

TDT | Manama                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com  

Staff Reporter

One of the leading religious figures in the world has asked Muslim scholars across the world encompassing every sect, doctrine and school of thought to urgently hold a ‘Muslim-Muslim dialogue’. 

Speaking at the conclusion of ‘The Bahrain Dialogue Forum: East and The West for Human Coexistence’ at Sakhir Palace, Ahmed Al Tayeb  Grand Imam of Al Azhar, said that such a dialogue should focus on “commonalities and meeting points”. 

“This is my call to Muslim scholars, across the world of every doctrine, sect and school of thought to urgently hold a Muslim-Muslim dialogue, a dialogue around unity, rapprochement, and acquaintance, a dialogue for religious and human fraternity, void of division, discord and, more especially, sectarian strife,” the Grand Imam said.  

“The decisions resulting from such dialogue should provide for the golden rule that states, ‘We excuse each other for what we differ about’. Let us together chase away any talk of hate, provocation and ex-communication and set aside ancient and modern conflict in all its forms and with all its negative offshoots.

This an invitation I extend to our Shia Muslim brothers.  “All the senior scholars at Al Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders and I are ready to host a similar meeting with open hearts and extended hands, so we can sit down together at one table and put aside the past, in order to strengthen Islam and Islamic unity on positions which are known to be pragmatic and serve the goals of Islam and its law, which prohibits Muslims from giving in to calls for division and fragmentation. 

“We must beware of falling into the trap of compromising nations’ stability and exploiting religion to stoke the fires of nationalistic and ideological sentiments, not to mention interference with countries and their sovereignty or usurping their lands.” 

The Grand Imam called for peace and ending the Russian-Ukrainian war and “sparing the lives of innocents who have no hand in this tragedy”. “I call for hoisting the flag of peace, not of victory, and to sit down for dialogue and negotiation. In fact, I call for an end to all war on earth to rebuild bridges of dialogue, understanding and trust, and to establish peace in a world full of wounds.”