In his speech at the virtual forum of ICESCO, Rector of Al-Azhar University states, “The contemporary world has been suffering a lot as a result of preoccupation away from religion.”
- Maintaining fraternity and peace has become only an exceptional case in many regions of the world.
- Religions have come to establish peace among people and affirm the sanctity of human blood.
- Today, the world needs to consolidate the principles of human fraternity.
Prof. Muḥammad Al-Maḥraṣāwī, Rector of Al-Azhar University, said that maintaining brotherhood and peace has become an exception from the general phenomenon that prevails many regions of the world. Such phenomenon is reflected in selfishness, hatred and conflict. Now, we can hardly find a homeland but which yearns for a lasting peace and a life without terrorism, he remarked. He added that all blame is now placed on religions, charging them with false accusations that have no basis. People forget that religions have come to consolidate peace among people, emphasize the sanctity of human blood and maintain an ethical environment in which all people live as loving brothers and sisters, regardless of their religions, colors, or races, Prof. Al-Maḥraṣāwī maintained.
During the virtual forum of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) entitled, “The role of religious leaders in facing crises”, Rector of Al-Azhar University stated that people's relationship with each other in the Qur'ān is characterized by acquaintance, cooperation and fraternity. He added that there is no room in Islam for the relations of conflict, economic, cultural or military hegemony among peoples. That is because the logic of the Qur'ān is based on the fact that Allah has created people with different beliefs, colors, and languages, and that it is impossible to make all people adopt one and the same belief or belong to the same culture.
Prof. Al-Maḥraṣāwī also pointed out that the contemporary world has been suffering a lot from the alternatives taken as substitute for religion. Even if we assume that such alternatives have achieved some positive results in the field of technology, still they have failed to provide security and stability for most peoples.
He explained that morals enjoy the greatest position in all Divine Religions. Morals are the essence of the message that our Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh) has brought to us. It is now common knowledge that societies have become morally and religiously defective, despite the great efforts exerted by religious and educational institutions to preserve such morals.
The Rector of Al-Azhar University called on the international community to make more effort to achieve solidarity required to overcome the crises facing the world. Such crises would not have been exposed without the Coronavirus pandemic which infected every single country and shaken it. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed many crises, especially in ethics. Many people have competed to exploit people’s needs. For example, we see some people monopolizing medicine and others sowing fear. So, the suffering of people has increased, and weak and needy peoples have been left alone to face their terrible destiny.
Prof. Al-Maḥraṣāwī stressed that the world of today needs to consolidate the principles of human fraternity. He indicated that the best evidence for the ability of religious leaders to influence people and set models for them in achieving universal moral solidarity is what the “Human Fraternity Document” (HFD) has achieved. The HFD, signed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and the Pope of the Vatican in Abu Dhabi last year, was warmly welcomed by the entire world. The world has become well aware of the historical role of religious leaders and institutions during crises, the case which was evident in facing the Covid-19 epidemic that crossed the borders and became difficult to control. Since the beginning of the crisis, their efforts have united to take the necessary precautionary measures which aim at curbing the spread of the Coronavirus.
The Rector of Al-Azhar University concluded his speech by stressing that the Global Initiative “Prayer and Supplication for Humanity”, launched by the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, have come to send a clear message that humanity can meet on a humanitarian principle that is beneficial for all. Millions of people participated in this initiativeand turned to Allah the Creator on the same day asking Him to remove this dangerous epidemic from the world, forgetting about all disagreements and dividing borders.
It is worth mentioning that the virtual forum comes in cooperation between the ICESCO on the one hand and both of the Muslim World League (MWL) and the Muḥammadiyah Scholars League (MSL) on the other hand, under the slogan “Towards a global ethical solidarity among religious leaders”. The forum witnessed the participation of a number of international personalities and Islamic leaders who adopt the values of moderation and the spirit of renewal in dealing with serious issues, and the ability to suggest the required human solutions to emerging problems, and accommodate the dividing differences.
The forum aims to achieve common benefit from the good initiatives and notable experiences of religious institutions and leaders in facing crises. It also aims to renew the methods and programs of religious thought to contribute to finding appropriate solutions at the time of emergency and crises, while developing general guidelines for drafting a global ethical solidarity charter to confront human crises.