Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of Muslim Council of Elders Receives President of Montenegro and Affirms: Islam Is a Religion of Mercy and Claims That It Promotes Violence Are False
His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of Muslim Council of Elders, received today, Monday, Jakov Milatović, President of Montenegro, and the First Lady of Montenegro, to discuss ways of strengthening mutual cooperation.
During the meeting, His Eminence welcomed the President of Montenegro, emphasizing that religions were revealed to liberate humanity from base desires, injustice, and aggression against the rights of others, and to build balanced individuals who believe in coexistence and respect for human dignity. He highlighted the experience of the Egyptian Family House, which is co-chaired by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church on a rotating basis every six months and works to strengthen national fraternity. The institution, he noted, has played a significant role in addressing sectarian tensions and thwarting attempts to sow division among citizens.
His Eminence added that this message was later elevated to the global level through the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity with the late Pope Francis. The United Nations subsequently designated the anniversary of its signing, observed annually on February 4, as the International Day of Human Fraternity.
He further noted that Al-Azhar and Muslim Council of Elders have expanded their engagement with various religious and cultural institutions across the East and West, including the Church of England, the Middle East Council of Churches, and the World Council of Churches. They have also organized numerous conferences on human rights and called for replacing the term “minorities” with “full citizenship,” reflecting equal rights and responsibilities for all members of society.
For his part, the President of Montenegro affirmed his nation's appreciation for His Eminence’s efforts in promoting the values of peaceful coexistence and human fraternity. He stated: “Montenegro is a multiethnic and multicultural country, and Islam is an integral part of its national fabric. Everyone lives together in peace.” He added, “Your Eminence is not only a religious leader but also an intellectual figure respected by both Muslims and non-Muslims around the world.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, the President of Montenegro asked the Grand Imam how to respond to the misuse of religious texts by extremist groups and their citation of verses from the Holy Qur’an to justify terrorism and extremism. His Eminence stressed that such groups neither represent Islam nor the Holy Qur’an in any way and that, had they understood its teachings correctly, they would never have committed such crimes.
“They have harmed Islam more than its enemies have,” His Eminence said. “It is important to recognize that the number of Muslims they have killed exceeds the number of non-Muslims. Most of their victims have been Muslims. They have become a spearhead wielded by hidden forces that know how to wage war against religions in general and Islam in particular.”
His Eminence explained that these groups exploit religion to achieve political objectives and personal interests that all revealed religions prohibit. He added: “The Crusades lasted for more than two hundred years, yet no one can claim that Christianity or Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, was responsible for them. In fact, the term ‘Crusades’ was coined in the West. In our heritage, we refer to them as the ‘Frankish Wars’ because we do not attribute those wars to Christianity or to Jesus, peace be upon him. We believe in Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, just as we believe in Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Likewise, Islam cannot under any circumstances be held responsible for the actions of those who have deviated from its tolerant teachings and commit crimes explicitly prohibited by the Qur’an.”
His Eminence further stressed that the claim often repeated by some that religions are the cause of wars is simply incorrect. The assertion that wars are fundamentally religious in nature is a misunderstanding, he said, explaining that the real problem lies in the misuse of religion and its manipulation in the service of political agendas and interests, whereas all religions call for the welfare of humanity and the preservation of human dignity.
