Egypt’s Azhar Grand Imam, Vatican Pope call for eliminating discrimination, entrenching human fraternity principles

 

CAIRO- 20 November 2020: Egypt’s Al Azhar Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed el Tayyeb, and Pope Francis made a phone call on Thursday to discuss ways of eliminating violence, discrimination and hate, calling for spreading the principles of humanity fraternity.

 

Both religious figures have jointly published posts in English and Arabic on their social media accounts, affirming their continuous efforts of combating wrong ideologies that disseminate violence in the name of the religion.

 

"I was pleased to speak over the phone yesterday with my brother @Pontifex. We discussed a number of issues and our continued support for human fraternity as a means to eliminating violence, discrimination and hate, and that religions are not to be blamed for these indiscretions," Grand Imam posted on his Facebook page and Twitter account.

 

 

I was pleased to speak over the phone yesterday with my brother @Pontifex .We discussed a number of issues and our continued support for human fraternity as a means to eliminating violence, discrimination and hate, and that religions are not to be blamed for these indiscretions

— أحمد الطيب (@alimamaltayeb) November 20, 2020

 

"A pleasure to speak by phone yesterday with my brother @alimamaltayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. We reaffirm our support to human fraternity as the solution to erase violence, discrimination and hatred in the name of religion. Religions have nothing to do with these," Pope Francis tweet on Friday. 

 

 

A pleasure to speak by phone yesterday with my brother @alimamaltayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. We reaffirm our support to human fraternity as the solution to erase violence, discrimination and hatred in the name of religion. Religions have nothing to do with these. #FratelliTutti

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) November 20, 2020

 

In February 2019, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders Ahmad el Tayeb and Pope Francis signed a Human Fraternity Document. 

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In April 2017, Pope Francis paid Egypt a two-day visit and he gave a speech at al-Azhar institution. The visit had an aim to foster reconciliation with the Muslim world following recent attacks against the Middle East’s biggest Christian community.

 

It marks Pope Francis as the first pontiff to visit Al-Azhar institution since Pope John Paul II in 2000