The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayeb, departed from Egypt to the Kingdom of Bahrain to participate in the Islamic-Islamic Dialogue Conference, themed "One Nation, Shared Destiny," set to take place on February 19 and 20 in Manama, Bahrain. This significant event is graciously sponsored by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and is organized by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Bahrain, and the Muslim Council of Elders.
The conference will bring together over 400 high profile figures, including Muslim scholars, leaders, and intellectuals from all over the world. It comes as response to the Grand Imam's call during the Bahrain Dialogue Forum held in November 2022 to enhance Islamic affairs and promote unity among Muslims.
During his visit, the Grand Imam is scheduled to meet with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and several Bahraini officials and participating scholars. The aim of these discussions is to strengthen Islamic cooperation and take practical steps towards unifying the Muslim Ummah as well as promoting ties among institutions and scholars from diverse Islamic schools of thought.
Furthermore, the Grand Imam will deliver the keynote speech at the conference in which he will underscore the necessity of unity in confronting contemporary challenges. The conference aims at making a shift from rapprochement discourse to a deeper understanding of shared values and challenges, establishing a permanent framework scholarly dialogue among Muslim scholars and authorities worldwide. It will also highlight the broad areas of agreement among Muslims and propose methods for addressing them as a foundation for dialogue between different Islamic sects. The event seeks to reinforce the role of scholars and religious authorities in bridging divides among various sects while rejecting hate speech and promoting mutual understanding and respect.