His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayeb, extends his sincere congratulations to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and to the Arab and Islamic nations, as well as to Muslims around the world, on the occasion of the new Hijri year 1447 AH.
On this blessed occasion, the Grand Imam calls for drawing inspiration from the values of sacrifice, determination, and insistence on upholding truth, and for holding firmly to the value of loyalty to homelands in Islam. He affirms that the Hijrah (Prophetic Migration from Mecca to Medina) is a great occasion and momentous event in Islamic history and in the life of our Prophet (PBUH). It instills in Muslims a noble example of following the Prophet (PBUH) in his strong trust in his Lord, his reliance upon Him, his endurance of hardships for the sake of his mission, and his exemplary model of peaceful coexistence with those who did not believe in him (PBUH).
The Grand Imam also calls upon the entire Islamic nation to adhere to the path of moderation, eliminate all causes of division and discord, and strengthen Islamic unity and solidarity as well as to promote mutual cooperation among all Arab and Islamic countries to achieve peace, prosperity, and progress for our lands and peoples.
At the end, the Grand Imam prays to Almighty God that the new Hijri year may be a year of goodness, blessing, security, and safety. He also implores Him to relieve the suffering of our brothers in Gaza, to unify the ranks of Muslims, to protect our beloved Egypt and our Arab and Islamic nations from all harm and evil, to bestow upon all humanity the blessings of security, stability, peace, and prosperity, and to guide the leaders of the world to uphold values of truth, justice, and equality among peoples.