On the International Day of Conscience - Muslim Council of Elders: Conscience, an Ethical Compass Guiding Individuals toward Values of Goodness, Justice, Tolerance, and Peace

The Muslim Council of Elders under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, emphasizes the importance of conscience as a moral compass guiding individuals toward values of goodness, justice, and tolerance. It points out that our world today is in dire need of reviving the human conscience and promoting a culture of peace and coexistence, especially in light of the escalating feelings of hatred, violence, extremism, wars, and conflicts.

In a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Conscience, observed on the 5th of April every year, the Muslim Council of Elders states that Islam and divine laws consider human values and conscience as fundamental guides directing individuals to make right decisions in life. It calls upon individuals, institutions, and societies to seize the opportunity of this day to remind themselves of the value of human conscience and its ability to lead positive change in the world and build communities characterized by peace, justice, and love.

The statement further explains that the Document on Human Fraternity, co-signed by two prominent religious figures in the world, His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, of the Catholic Church, which calls for promoting values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, acceptance of diversity, and pluralism, comes at a critical time when the world is engulfed in conflicts, disputes, bigotry, and extremism. It serves as a beacon of hope and a call for every living conscience to reject hateful violence and blind extremism and to embrace principles of tolerance and fraternity.