In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
We have been informed of the news that Shaykh Ahmed al-Tayib, the Shaykh of al-Azhar, has invited all of the Muslim scholars, both Shia and Sunni, to unanimously issue a fatwa to strictly prohibit and condemn the horrible crimes against humanity perpetrated by extremist groups.
Emphasizing the ideological proximity of Shia and Sunni schools of thought, the respectable Shaykh of al-Azhar stated in this regard: “al-Azhar has always emphasized the ideological proximity of Shia and Sunni schools and the reconciliation between these two schools is of great importance to the al-Azhar University”.
The respectable Shaykh of al-Azhar has then continued: “I invite all Muslim scholars and the Sunni and Shia leaders and authorities to take part in a j o i nt meeting in the al-Azhar University and issue a unanimous Fatwa to condemn and prohibit the killing of Muslims from all Islamic schools of thought. It is hoped that this Fatwa can put an end to the barbaric acts of some of the extremist groups which are now engaged in slaughtering innocent Muslims”.
We do commend and admire the deep and acute understanding of the realities of the Muslim world on the part of the Shaykh of al-Azhar. We also stress the fact that not only can this fatwa prevent the massacre of innocent Muslims, but it will also be a hindrance to the Islamophobia which is being promoted by the westerners, who are either unaware of the reality of Islam or are enemies of Islam. This way, the whole world will know that these barbaric acts and unspeakable atrocities have nothing to do with Islam.
Furthermore, we emphasize the fact that Islam strongly condemns even the massacre of non-Muslims, so no matter where these terrorists carry out their attacks and slaughter innocent people, their acts have nothing, whatsoever, to do with the teachings of Islam.
We hope that this meeting is held as soon as possible, so that it may constitute an effective step towards the eradication of these vicious terrorists, and also the liberation of the Muslim world from the grasp of such violence and extremism.
Naser Makarem Shirazi
