Using religion as justification for wars is a blatant lie

Terrorism and Islam are the gravest of enemies

I call on the youth to adhere to the commands of Allah and His Prophet and to stay away from whatever causes hate and discrimination

Raise the banner of Human Fraternity from the East to the West

His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders has led Friday prayers at the Hazrat-Sultan Grand Mosque in the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan. In attendance was the former President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev as well as a host of political and religious leaders from the Central Asian country. The Grand Imam had been on a five-day official visit to Kazakhstan to attend the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions which ran on 14 and 15 September.

The Grand Imam delivered a speech in front of thousands of worshippers at the Hazrat-Sultan Grand Mosque where he expressed his immense pride at visiting Kazakhstan. He also thanked the President and people of the Central Asian state for their warm hospitality during his five-day official visit. The Grand Imam revealed that it was a privilege to study the heritage of Kazakh scholars who have long contributed to Islamic heritage and history. 

The Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders urged Kazakh youth to revive their rich heritage and promote human fraternity among all people. This, according to the Grand Imam, is proven by the Quranic verse, “and We made you races and tribes, so that you may come to know one another”, which proves humanity’s equal value in the eyes of the creator and that there is no room for calls that urge for clashes between civilizations. Such calls, the Grand Imam remarked, go against Allah’s will, which is to achieve peace and harmony between people. 

His Eminence also criticized those who attribute war and bloodshed to religion and that liberty from religious values can be a cause of peace. He affirmed that no religion had ever justified bloodshed, and that some groups hijack faith to achieve their deviant ambitions. 

His Eminence the Grand Imam also reaffirmed that Islam had never been a religion that advocates violence and that terrorism is the gravest of enemies to our faith. He pointed to Muslims far outnumbering non-Muslims in terms being victims of terrorism. 

In conclusion, the Grand Imam called on the youth of Kazakhstan to adhere to the commands of Allah and His Prophet and to stay away from whatever causes hate and discrimination. He encouraged Kazakh youth to raise the banner of Human Fraternity from the East to the West.

The Grand Imam had been in Kazakhstan to attend the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions which was held on the 14th and 15th of September 2022 in the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan. The event was held under the theme, ‘The role of leaders of world and traditional religions in the spiritual and social development of mankind in the post-pandemic period’ and hosted a total of 108 religious and world leaders from 60 different countries. During the event, the Grand Imam was presented with the ‘Astana International Award’ by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for his services in interfaith dialogue. His Eminence also  met His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church at the event in the Kazakh capital.