What happened in Gaza would not have occurred if there were true Islamic unity, the Grand Imam to Malaysian PM   

We must prioritize Islamic brotherhood and the future of the Muslim nation over temporary political interests, the Grand Imam to Malaysian PM   

  

The unity of the Muslim nation is a fortress that no one can penetrate; without it, no party can rise alone, Al-Azhar Grand Imam 

Al-Azhar Grand Imam holds a high status in the Islamic world, and we must utilize this to convince Muslims of the importance of dialogue and rapprochement among different sects, Malaysian PM  

We are ready to support and promote the message of the Islamic Dialogue Conference in Southeast Asia, Malaysian PM  

His Eminence, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Professor Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, received Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday at his residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss ways to enhance mutual cooperation.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Malaysian Prime Minister said, “We appreciate the invitation of His Eminence, the Grand Imam, to hold this dialogue at such a crucial time and his commitment to including all Islamic sects without excluding any party. I listened to your speech at the opening of the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference and requested its translation into the Malay language for distribution to relevant ministries, agencies, mosques, and Islamic institutions in our country. Your speech addressed what truly needs to be discussed— the ‘next step’ for the conference and what we must do to translate the discussions from the conference sessions into practical actions so that the entire Muslim nation (Ummah) can benefit from this important work.”  

Mr. Anwar Ibrahim affirmed Malaysia’s readiness to support all the outcomes of the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference and to ensure its message reaches a global audience, particularly in Southeast Asian countries. He emphasized his country's commitment to fostering unity within the Ummah and rejecting division and discord, stating, “Your Eminence hold great credibility and a highly respected position in the Islamic world. Everyone values and honors you. We must take advantage of this standing and use it to convince Muslims of the importance of dialogue and rapprochement among all Islamic sects while closing the doors to those who seek to divide and distract the Ummah from its true goals.”

For his part, His Eminence, the Grand Imam, stated that the unity of Muslims is the only solution for the stability and progress of the Ummah, as well as for restoring its confidence and ability to confront crises, no matter how severe. This conviction is what encouraged the organization of this conference, which addresses a scholarly dimension related to perceiving the "other"— a crucial and influential factor in shaping perspectives of those who follow different schools of thought. This dimension has the potential to guide the Ummah toward peace, influence behaviors, and foster ideas of rapprochement, dialogue, and unity among all Islamic schools of thought. It also aims to eliminate the misuse of religion in conflicts that seek to divide nations. He emphasized the ability of the scholarly community to establish guidelines for dialogue, while the responsibility remains with politicians to implement practical mechanisms.  

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar stressed the necessity of coordinating efforts and opening channels of dialogue between religious scholars and political leaders. He underscored the importance of prioritizing Islamic brotherhood and the future of the Ummah over temporary political interests, advocating for a unified project for the Muslim world. He affirmed that unity is the protective wall that no one will be able to breach, and without it, no entity - regardless of its strength or advancement - can truly rise. Division is a disease and a weakness that can only be cured through unity, dialogue, and belief in the inevitability of a shared destiny among all members of the Ummah. His Eminence pointed to the case of Palestine and Gaza as a lesson and a warning, stating that the ongoing killing of innocent people and children for more than 16 months, along with the plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land, would not have been possible if there had been genuine Islamic unity.