The Sheikh of Al-Azhar receives the President of the European Council in Azerbaijan and they discuss contemporary human tragedies
The Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, received Charles Michel, President of the European Council, at His Eminence’s residence in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. His Eminence stressed that this meeting is an opportunity to listen to mutual concerns, pains and human tragedies that have exceeded all limits of reason and logic.
His Eminence the Grand Imam said that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif has taken great steps to open up to others and build world peace, and these efforts have yielded results in many ways. Important initiatives aiming to put brotherhood and acquaintance in the priorities of relations between the East and the West, before economic relations that are based on achieving interests and material gains. Perhaps the most prominent of these efforts are those that aimed to end immoral and inhumane conflicts, and it was not easy for Al-Azhar and the churches in the West. The signing of the historic Document on Human Fraternity between Al-Azhar and the Vatican, which gained its rightful exposure and spread until the United Nations adopted the anniversary of its signing on February 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity, indicating that we thought that these efforts were capable and sufficient to stop the lies that spread about Islam in the West and elsewhere. Allegations that are disguised as facts when it is intended to humanize the conflict with others and create justifications for it.
The Sheikh of Al-Azhar expressed his regret that the results are very disappointing and completely contrary to the extent of expectations, and the "double standards" It is the approach through which the issues of the East are dealt with, as if the new global balances and laws governing international relations were to support those who possess excessive power in arms and the economy, to bully the oppressed, and to be completely devoid of the philosophy and morals of religions, confirming that what we see in Gaza has been for more than The 500 days are nothing but a departure from what has been approved by religions, values, and humanitarian and moral conventions.
The Sheikh of Al-Azhar indicated that the hope was that the major international entities would undertake; Such as the European Union, the Security Council, and the United Nations play an important role in this conflict, but reality has proven that there is a major disconnect between the statements and the actions that follow them. At a time when statements of condemnation are echoed by some European countries for the violations committed by the occupier in Gaza, other countries do not. They are still involved in exporting weapons to the occupier, providing endless and unlimited support to this entity, and participating in the killing of innocent people in Gaza, and they turned a blind eye to the waterfalls of blood being shed before their eyes, indicating that this position is a clear contradiction in the European position towards the aggression against Gaza, as well as It came in contrast to the position of the peoples who came out in the largest squares of European capitals and in American universities, to demand an end to the killing of innocent women, children and the elderly, whose number exceeded 40,000 martyrs.
The Sheikh of Al-Azhar declared, “God is justice, and from the reality “My belief in His justice – the Almighty – I can say that whoever remains silent about these crimes and massacres today, some of them will befall him tomorrow or the day after,” noting that The failure to support the Palestinians has made many believe that there is no solution to this chaos that is leading the world, and that there is no force that can stand up to this occupier and deter him from shedding more innocent blood, and that the only way to establish peace today is to deter the aggressor by force, stressing that time will stop at October 7th. And portraying it as the beginning of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and that what followed was a reaction, as well as portraying what is happening in Gaza as an equal war between two armies, is a clear injustice to the issue and the Palestinian people, and that what is happening in Gaza is an attack by an army armed with the most heavy weapons that are internationally and morally prohibited, On a defenseless people who do not have a livelihood, and the goal of all this has become public and is no longer a secret, which is to kill innocent people to seize land.
The Sheikh of Al-Azhar stressed that many Western officials cannot imagine the reality of what is happening in Gaza, Therefore, their speeches are characterized by what they try to call “abstract objectivity and neutrality,” and they launch calls and issue statements that are predominantly of a balancing nature to avoid supporting one party over another, calling on everyone to consider what is presented to His Eminence on a weekly basis of requests submitted by Palestinian female students fleeing the aggression to continue studying at the University. Al-Azhar, and when we talk to her, we find that most of them, if not all of them, do not know anything about their family members, and do not know which of them has gone missing, and which of them does not survive, calling on Western officials to create a new discourse commensurate with the scale of chaos, tampering with humanity, and the bitter reality in Gaza. His Eminence stressed that everyone must be aware that this aggression has created a thick wall of black hatred between the East and the West that will take decades to demolish and replace it with bridges of relations based on the principles of respect and equality between all.
For his part, Charles Michel stressed He expressed his appreciation for the great efforts made by the Sheikh of Al-Azhar to spread brotherhood and tolerance, stressing that the Sheikh of Al-Azhar represents a moderate religious authority around the world, and no one can deny that, and that the world is in dire need of the moderate and influential voice of Al-Azhar in spreading the culture of rapprochement and coexistence, indicating his agreement With the Sheikh of Al-Azhar’s talk about the danger of “double standards” In dealing with conflicts occurring around the world, there is a need to develop specific assessments and call them by their names. Just as what is happening in Ukraine is described as a “war crime,” what is happening in Gaza must also be called by its name, which is also a “war crime.”
< p>Charles Michel stressed that the Document on Human Fraternity is a message of hope and inspiration to peoples despite the harsh circumstances that the world is going through, noting that he was keen to announce the European Union’s support for it in various international occasions and forums, stressing the necessity of unity and solidarity in order to stop discrimination and hatred based on Religious basis such as Islamophobia, noting that the decision of some European countries to export their weapons to Israel is their own decision, but the European Union issued a decision to demand a ban on arms exports until they stop their violations of international law.
Charles Michel stressed his appreciation for the role of religious leaders in Creating opportunities for convergence and acquaintance between different cultures, and mediating to immediately stop wars and conflicts, pointing out that Europe needs to support Al-Azhar in training European imams, according to its moderate approach that confronts extremist thought, spreads a culture of acceptance of others and coexistence, and focuses on common values.< /p>
