Presented by the Grand Imam Al-Tayyeb and Pope Francis, along with a commentary by a number of leaders, international political and cultural figures, Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders present this year at Cairo International Book Fair “The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path,” a book on the journey towards signing the Human Fraternity Document
This Year, Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders pavilions at the Cairo International Book Fair present an influential book entitled " The Pope and the Grand Imam: A Thorny Path." This book comes as a testimonial to the birth of the Human Fraternity Document. It is authored by Judge Mohammad Abdel-Salam, Secretary General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity and former Adviser to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Prof. Ahmed Al-Tayyeb.
The book provides a detailed account of the stages of the Human Fraternity Document till it was signed on February 4th, 2019 in Abu Dhabi. The author also talks about the swift steps taken by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis towards spreading peace all over the world. At the beginning of the book, the Author mentions some of the main reasons for authoring his book, noting: “I have deeply thought about publishing my testimonial to the Human Fraternity Document, especially after it was signed and received graciously by the world, and I felt the world has become my village and humanity my family. Hence, it was a must to tell the whole world the journey towards signing this document".
The book is characterized by a logical sequence enabling the reader to fully understand with the story of this wonderful journey. The author, being so close to the Grand Imam, could provide the reader with full a description of the different aspects of the Imam's great personality, and how these aspects contributed to the prominence of such a peace-loving leader who always believes in the importance of peaceful coexistence in the world. In addition, the book includes testimonials from the Grand Imam and the Pope and provides insights into the role of the Pope as Head of the Catholic Church in renewing hopes of peace and collaboration between Al-Azhar and the Vatican. It is worth noting that Al-Azhar, for the fifth time in a raw, participates in the Cairo International Book Fair with a pavilion that includes various sections like those of the Panorama Symposium, Fatwa, Arabic Calligraphy and Manuscripts, children area, etc.