In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Ladies and Gentlemen

Honorable Attendees

Al-Salamu Alaykum Warahmatullah Wa Barakatuh

God's peace, mercy, and blessings be yours all.

     First of all, let me extend my heartfelt thanks for this kind invitation to participate in this conference. I would like to thank all those in charge of organizing and preparing this conference, hoping it will prove successful in combating extremism and terrorism. Actually, the entire world is suffering political, security, and intellectual crises—a fact hidden to none. Such crises gave rise to dangerous practices and painful phenomena, such as takfeer (excommunication i.e. excluding someone from belief and salvation), terrorism, violence, atheism, etc. posing real threats to the world peace and destabilizing many human societies to the extent that the whole world has become under the threat of entering into a vicious cycle of destructive chaos and violence, let alone the blind sedition sparking unprecedented atrocities in human history, including bloodshed, killing, explosions, decapitation, displacement of millions of people, and destruction of properties and homelands. It is an outright war on human civilization and culture going beyond all limits of religions, ethics, and human norms.

     Unfortunately, such vicious barbarian crimes have maliciously exploited religion giving the criminals the titles of the “Islamic state", "Islamic caliphate", "ISIS" and the like. They try to export their false vision of Islam as a religion coming to slaughter, behead, or displace all those with different faith.

     Those young deviant people do not have enough knowledge or culture to know Islam other than reckless enthusiasm and sharp reactions. The declaration of takfeer was their optimal and fastest choice to express their bitter reality. Their rulings or conceptions were not based on good understanding or rational thought. Many concepts and theories deviant from the true religion have appeared. What drove things worse was the resource of these currents’ writers to Sharia texts and misinterpreting them to prove their thoughts, which gave rise to takfeer. Extremist organizations then put their ideas into effect and worked on attracting and recruiting young people through websites. Abu al-‘Ala al-Mawdudi and Sayyed Qutb were the first to introduce issues, like takfeer, hakimiyah (lit. sovereignty), jahiliyah (lit. ignorance), inevitability of conflict, jihad, caliphate, Islamic state, empowerment, dar al-Islam (Muslim land), and dar al-Harb (non-Muslim hostile land), which are commonly shared by all extremist organizations (e.g. ISIS and others). The phenomenon of extremism and fanaticism has other various manifestations. We should not deal with the aspects of violence and forsake its root causes; providing the cure for causes is highly significant in this regard.

     The problem with takfeerists is that they neither have open-mindedness nor deeply wide culture about the articles of faith and the basics of laws. The declaration of takfeer is symbolic of narrow-mindedness, ingenuity, and religious unawareness. When it is associated with physical violence, takfeer, or threatening to use force, it becomes terrorism. Extremism remains intellectual until it assumes violent behaviors including attacks on freedoms, properties, lives, or formation of armed terrorist organizations (to challenge the society and the State). It is then identical with terrorism. It is shockingly sad to find that a person committing terrorism, violence, killing, takfeer, explosion in the name of religion. Many conflicts assume religious or sectarian symbols, although human relations are essentially based on coexistence, mutual understanding, and respect of one another. Indeed, some intentionally defame Islam because of the practices of a few Muslim groups, who perpetuate these crimes in the name of religion presenting fake thoughts and behavior as the true Islam—while they are entirely contrary to Islam.

     The chaos these groups spread in their attempts to enforce the rule of Sharia invigorates the fears in the west generally so much so that some believe that Islam—that these groups present—poses a threat to human civilization and ethics. The battle against terrorism is greater than we may think. It is not the battle of security forces alone. The battle of thoughts must come first to rectify misconceptions and explain the Islamic tolerance and humanity.

     Terrorism is almost well known and extant worldwide. Its organizations and groups have their localized versions everywhere. Some say that “terrorism” forms an international weapon, whose real, yet undeclared, aim is to exercise effective pressure of the decision. Others believe that the current terrorism is the substitute of the traditional wars; those who have the remote control telecommand the terrorist groups to achieve some aims previously achieved by troops. However, the change in the international circumstances made terrorism a universal phenomenon. No State is now free from terrorist groups and crimes. In a certain country, “terrorism” assumes the guise of religion when religion suits the nature of people in this country to attract young people by slogans. None of those young people ever think that there is a hidden hand or mastermind, who drives, organizes, coordinates, and plans the whole process. They never think that the strategies of committing terrorist crimes always correspond to the nature of each country. In another country, terrorism assumes guises other than religious ones, when the game of religion is not effectively attractive. As such, some purposefully and confusingly mix the concept of religiosity with the use and abuse of religion in things entirely anti-religious. At certain periods, some young groups feel the desire to join a certain group. This sense of belonging begets security, mental stability, power, and effectiveness. Such groups seek for young people, help them at times of hardship, and resolve their financial problems. At the beginning they accept their ideas, excommunicate others, and then agree to kill, plunder, and violate them.

     Those young people found no one to guide them in houses, schools, or clubs. By contrast, they find recruiters for terrorism everywhere on websites and in the literature of violent and extremist groups. Who can save those deviated youth falling under the effect of the intellectual drugs completely extraneous to Islam? The battle of thought is more dangerous than that bullets and bombs. Only mind can convince the young victims of misguidance to envisage the personal image of holy heroes fighting in the cause of the Lord. Through thought young people have become toys at the hand of the true players, who are stealthily pulling the strings.

     Furthermore, the spread of illiteracy as a result of the absence of reading, research, and scholarly objectivity let many unable to differentiate between what is essential and what is inessential. This differentiation needs religious culture. The extremism terrorist groups exploit the religious illiteracy of the laity, who have no knowledge of religious details, and present a form of religion serving their own agenda using books and social media to promote their ideas repeatedly and persistently. They also recruit active members to persuade others.

     Marginalizing the poor peoples and exploiting their conditions, especially the endeavors to consume the resources of some countries, are also among the prominent causes of extremism and terrorism. The injustices committed by the rich countries led many nations to suffer poverty, ignorance, and disease. In contrast, billions of dollars are spent for promoting the ideas of extremist and terrorist groups and recruiting young people in attempts to seize their minds and drive them to enforce the international agendas of restructuring the Arab region and other areas of conflict worldwide to achieve dominance in the fourth-generation warfare and cyperterrorism. Here, I would like to raise some questions: 

• How was Iraq destroyed and occupied? How did Syria, Libya, and Yemen face the same fate? 
• Who is responsible for setting up training camps for extremist groups? Who finance them and move them to the areas of conflict along with necessary support?

Ladies and gentlemen,

     We need to answer these questions if we are really determined to get the right treatment and uproot this problem. Extremist groups form a “disease” but how to cure it? It is necessary to address the root causes, because “prevention is better than cure”. Egypt is waging a very costly war against terrorism and extremism, in which many lives are lost. Indeed, other countries also have their share of this horrible suffering.

Ladies and gentlemen,

     It is not fair or acceptable to judge religions by the terrorist and criminal acts of some followers. Logically, it is clear that the teachings of religions are the first to condemn these terrorists and their terrorist inhuman crimes. If we—Muslims, do not dare to condemn the Christian and Jewish religions because of the acts of killing, displacing, and aggression perpetuated by some of their followers against Muslims, at old and present times, then why should Islam be responsible for the acts of those people who behave against its teachings. What is the source of this infamous widely spread phenomenon of “Islamophopia” that only instigates civilizational conflict between the East and the West.

     Divine religions came only as a message of peace to the whole humanity as well as to animals, plants and the entire universe. In its Holiest text, i.e. the Quran, Islam clearly states that difference of thought, opinion, creed or religion does not necessarily require enmity and aggression. Such difference should not lead to hate, envy, or a feeling of disgust towards others: “Difference of opinions does not spoil amity.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

     Al-Azhar always asserts its condemnation and rejection of killing the innocents, committing indecent assaults, seizing the property of others, violating sacred sanctuaries and human heritage, and demolishing temples and statues. All these actions are open crimes against humanity that Islam completely denounces and prohibits. So, Al-Azhar works on promoting the concepts of moderation, tolerance, acceptance of the other, respect of cultures and dialogue, as well as denouncing terrorism, violence, and extremism. Al-Azhar also calls for peaceful coexistence, respect of laws in other countries, freedom of religion, cultural and religious diversity, and other issues that promote peace and coexistence among nations. Al-Azhar intellectual confrontation to address these extremist organizations and correct their misconceptions constantly continues in parallel. Examples of such misconceptions include the following:

• Misconceptions about 'Islamic state' and 'Caliphate'.
• Misconceptions about jiahd and its concept, conditions, and objectives.
• Hakimiyah and related misled conceptions.
• Jahiliyah's concept and related ideas.
• Takfeer’s concept, regulations, and warning people against it.

     Al-Azhar points out that the divine religions came only to show humankind the way to happiness in both this life and the life to come. They instill in him the values of mercy, truth and goodness and that Allah has honored humanity and elevated them over all other creatures, prohibiting any assault on human life, property or honor. The Glorious Quran clearly states that Allah, Glorified is He, has sent Prophet Muhammad only as a mercy to al-‘Alameen (Quran, 21: 107). In Arabic, al-‘Alameen is not restricted to Muslims only, but includes all others beyond them. In Islamic philosophy, it includes animals, plants, and inanimate objects. It is reported that Prophet Muhammad addressed people saying, “I am but a gifted mercy sent [to all].” The Prophet was so kind to animals that he told about a woman, who entered the hellfire because of a cat that she had confined until it died. She did not allow it either to eat or drink, nor did she free it so that it might eat the vermin of the earth. He also told us that a man watered a dog in a very hot day, so Allah forgave him and admitted him to paradise. If Islam teaches people to be kind towards animals, then being merciful to human beings is more binding. Simply, Islam honors the human being, regardless of religion, affiliation, color, or nationality.

Ladies and gentlemen,

     It has become necessary to base the relation between the east and the west on peace, mutual understanding, and respect of specificities of beliefs, entities, and cultures. However—and before anything else, the feeling of human universal fraternity must be established. It is Al-Azhar first current priority to uncover the falsity of extremism as a deviation from the Islamic Sharia. It is indispensable to criminalize violence and extremism, and declare all human life inviolable in confirmation that all heavenly religions are innocent of killing people and violating their rights.

     In pursuit of these aims, Al-Azhar—beside its efforts in education and awareness locally and internationally, has established Al-Azhar Electronic Observer to monitor what the ISIS posts on social media. All posts and fatawa of the ISIS are discussed and refuted in a number of languages, including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Chinese to warn the youth against the dangers of ISIS and immunize them lest they fall prey to this organization. Al-Azhar demanded the western and Arab delegations in their visits to Mashyakhat Al-Azhar to observe the Islamic centers and their employees in such countries without violating the personal and public freedom to guarantee the intellectual safety presented and drive away extremists and fanatics from the Islamic Da'wah activities with a view to protect Islam from misrepresentations. 

Al-Azhar suggests some procedures for confronting the ISIS and other terrorist organizations worldwide, of which the most important are: 

• Discussing and refuting extremist ideas to forewarn young people against them through the social media.
• International cooperation is necessary to face the excellence of these organizations in using electronic space for marketing terrorism.
• Finding fair solution for the Palestinian Issue and the Muslim Rohingya problem and ensuring their repatriation in Myanmar.
• Giving due respect for the common human values among religions and enhancing religious openness.
• Stimulating the role of religious and political leaders through active cooperation and dialogue to work on entrenching the concepts of peace and coexistence among human nations. 
• Focusing on and enhancing the role of youth in various communities, especially the poor ones, and providing work opportunities to them. It is necessary to realize that the youth are able to make the change and take the challenge if we do the best of their physical, intellectual, and political energies. We should consider them a part of the solution, not of the problem if we really want to reach practical solutions in facing terrorism and extremism.
• Promoting the role of women, respecting their abilities and skills, giving them due shares in the war on terrorism, and activating the role of family. Simply, strengthening the interior fronts of communities is a fundamental guarantee to face terrorism and its different organizations.
• It is also necessary to ensure justice among peoples without discrimination and respect the specificities of all communities.

Thanks for listening

God's peace, mercy, and blessings be yours all.