Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif, Chairman of the Council of Muslim Elders received, on Monday at the headquarters of Al-Azhar, His Grace Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and the Levant, and his accompanying delegation. 

The Grand Imam pointed out that the world today is in dire need of a real activation of the values of human fraternity to alleviate the tensions, conflicts and wars we are witnessing, and to help the weak who alone pay the heavy price for all this, stressing that religions carry in their teachings the values of peace and goodness for all human beings and that fraternity is our only way to be effective and save what can be saved. His Eminence also expressed his full solidarity with our fellow brothers from the Lebanese people in the face of the successive crises they are going through. HE stressed the readiness of Al-Azhar to provide all forms of support to Lebanon, pointing out that Lebanon, throughout its history, has provided an outstanding model to be followed in integrity and fraternity among the citizens of the same homeland, expressing his hope that this brotherly country would overcome the difficulties it is going through as soon as possible. HE also pointed out that our history is replete with many successful models of achieving true and constructive integrity and brotherhood among the citizens of the same homeland including various outstanding examples such as the sheikhs and the priests standing together during the Egyptian Revolution of 1919. Consider also what Prophet Muhamad (pbuh) did with the Christians of Najran when he received them with great hospitality, and also when  Al-Najashi (Negus), the Christian king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), hosted the weak Muslims who sought his protection after the Prophet (pbuh) described him as "the king under whose kingdom no one would be wronged”, as well as many other examples that we hope to be a source of inspiration for decision-makers in our contemporary world so that  peace, brotherhood and peaceful coexistence would be achieved. 

On  his part, His Grace Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and the Levant, expressed his pleasure  for meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and the tangible achievements made at the level of boosting dialogue between Al-Azhar and the Vatican, which resulted in the signing of the Document of Human Fraternity, explaining that it is a unique experience that must be taught in universities and schools so that its principles and terms would be carried out and practiced in reality. The Patriarch of Antioch and the Levant also assured the Maronite that the world is now in dire need of human fraternity in light of the wars and clashes it is witnessing, praising the efforts made by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis to establish the values of world peace which resulted in the signing of this great document which is essential and necessary to raise generations capable of carrying the banner of peace and love around the world. 

At the end of the meeting, the Imam presented to His Grace the Cardinal a copy of the book "Memories of Al-Azhar" and the book "The Imam and the Pope: A Thorny Path”. In return, the Cardinal gifted the Grand Imam a valuable copy of "The Egyptian Royal Archives" published in Lebanon.