Mufti of the Republic: Egypt will remain a beacon of coexistence and peace despite attempts to mislead the forces of evil

The virtue of Prof. Dr. confirmed. Nazir Muhammad Ayyad, Mufti of the Republic, Head of the General Secretariat for the role of fatwa bodies in the world, said that peace and security in the Islamic vision is a shared responsibility that the state, society, religious institutions and international organizations bear together, pointing out that this role is not limited to preaching speeches or social slogans, but rather every individual must be an effective messenger of peace who seeks with serious practical steps to enhance the values of security and stability in society.

 

This came during his Eminence’s speech at New Valley University entitled «Egypt is a pioneer of peace» In the presence  Professor Dr. Abdel Aziz Tantawi, President of New Valley University, the Vice-Presidents of the University, the deans of colleges and professors, and the university’s students.

His Eminence the Mufti of the Republic explained that investing in spreading a culture of peace is not an intellectual luxury, but rather an investment in the future of humanity and the preservation of its comprehensive values, stressing that Islam is in its essence a religion of peace and that the Holy Qur’an makes peace one of the purposes of the divine message, as the Almighty said: “By God.” He calls to the abode of peace” (Yunus 25), indicating that the concept of peace in Islam does not only mean the absence of violence, but rather the presence of tranquility, the achievement of justice, and the guarantee of social security.

The Mufti of the Republic indicated that the noble revelation linked the behavior of the individual to spreading peace in society, in accordance with the Almighty’s saying: “And when you are greeted With a greeting, then greet with a better than it, or return it. (An-Nisa’ 86) explaining that peace is a practical value that should be reflected in speech, behavior, and human relations, stressing that the world today is in dire need of promoting and spreading a culture of peace so that humanity can enjoy the shadows of security and stability.

 

He pointed out that the contemporary reality It is witnessing an increase in wars and conflicts and the spread of terrorism and extremism resulting from misunderstanding of religious texts, which has claimed the lives of innocent people and threatened the security of societies without distinction between gender, color or religion. One of the most prominent manifestations of the threat to world peace is also the spread of fanaticism and racism that excludes others and deprives them of rights and duties, in addition to the spread of wrong concepts and terminology such as the clash of civilizations and the concept of the abode of war, which are terms that are inconsistent with the spirit of divine religions and fuel hate speech, also indicating the worsening phenomenon. Islamophobia in some Western countries is considered one of the forms of fear of Islam and the distortion of its true image, calling for mercy and coexistence.

The Mufti of the Republic stressed that Egypt, since the dawn of history, has been known as the land of civilization and peace, the landing place for messages, and the meeting place of peoples and civilizations. He explained that it was never a state of aggression or colonialism, but rather always carried the message of coexistence and love between man and his fellow man, pointing out that the ancient Egyptians realized the value of peace thousands of years ago, so they raised the slogan of peace. It is the foundation of the king and they built an eternal civilization based on stability, creativity, and urbanization, adding that King Tuthmosis III expressed this principle by saying, “I did not go to war except to establish order and restore peace to the country, as stated in the teachings of the wise Ptahhotep, saying, “Do good, for good is the path to peace, and do not respond to violence with violence, but with a kind word.” These values were also evident in the Treaty of Kadesh between Ramses II and the Hittite king, which stipulated that the two peoples would live in peace and brotherhood forever.

The Mufti of the Republic added that Egypt, despite the multiple invasion attempts it was subjected to, remained a beacon of coexistence and peace thanks to the peace-loving and compassionate nature of its people, pointing out that the spirit of coexistence extended into the Greek and Roman eras, as Alexandria was a model of the city of intellectual peace and cultural diversity, as described by the historian. Strabo said that in Alexandria, people of different races live under a system that guarantees security and tranquility for all.

And the Mufti  The entry of Islam into Egypt was not by sword, but by wisdom and mercy, which is what made the Egyptians receive the Islamic call with familiarity and love due to the harmony they found in it with their sound nature, indicating that history has preserved honorable positions affirming Islam’s respect for man, whatever his religion. Amr ibn al-Aas declared upon his entry into Egypt: “They have what we have and what we have to do with them. They do not coerce anyone over a religion, as the historian Al-Maqrizi confirmed that the Muslims did not demolish a church and did not force anyone to have a religion, but rather approved the people for their religions.” And their money, pointing out that the Islamic civilization that was established on the land of Egypt was based on solid foundations, foremost of which was the sanctification of knowledge, both its legal and human parts, as God Almighty said: “Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who have been given knowledge by degrees” (Al-Mujadila 11) and mercy to all beings, as He said. God Almighty: “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds” (Al-Anbiya’ 107) and justice and equality, as God Almighty said: “And when you judge between the people, that you judge with justice” ‏(An-Nisa’ 58) and acquaintance and coexistence as God Almighty said: “O people! We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes that you may know one another” (Al-Hujurat 13) Nationalism and sectarianism, as God Almighty said, “Indeed, the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most pious of you. Indeed, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware” (Al-Hujurat 13). And sustainable peace, as God Almighty said, “And if they incline to peace, incline to it.” And put your trust in God (Al-Anfal 61)

His Eminence stated that the Prophet’s community in Medina was a cultural model for embodying the values of peace and coexistence. This was demonstrated in the Medina Document that the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, concluded with non-Muslims, as it established the principles of citizenship, coexistence, and reconciliation between all disputants and concluded peace between the warring parties, stressing that this document is an early declaration of human rights and coexistence. Religions, and the honorable companions followed this righteous prophetic approach, as they worked to establish justice, preserve the rights of others, and spread peace, tolerance and coexistence among all people, before the nation later faced challenges due to the emergence of extremist groups and movements that deviated from the straight path, and became an obstacle to the nation’s renaissance and the restoration of its religious and human civilization.

He explained  The peace called for by heavenly laws is not just words, but rather a dynamic human process based on understanding the other, learning about their customs, beliefs, rights and duties, and respecting their different viewpoints within the framework of peaceful coexistence. He pointed out that Islam did not make the difference of peoples and cultures a cause of conflict, but rather a means of acquaintance and cooperation, pointing out that the principle of peace is a main tool for achieving divine succession on earth, as stated in the Almighty’s saying: “He is He produced you from the earth and settled you therein. [هود: 61]stressing that the reconstruction of the earth and human stability cannot be achieved except through dialogue, understanding and cooperation between people.

His Eminence the Mufti stressed that jihad in Islam was not prescribed to force non-Muslims to enter the religion, but rather its motive was to defend oneself, money and honor, and to protect the call and Muslims from the aggression of aggressors, explaining that the means of oppression and coercion are not methods of calling to religion, and that the basis of religion is heartfelt faith and belief, and the argument is what convinces. Hearts, not swords, citing the words of God Almighty: “There is no compulsion in religion. Rightliness has been clearly distinguished from error.” And His saying: “And if your Lord had willed, everyone on earth would have believed. So, do you compel people until they become believers?” Pointing out that the non-Islamic nation that did not attack Muslims and did not engage in fighting with them, it is not permissible to fight them or to break the covenant or security with them, stressing that the Prophet’s fighting of the polytheists was a defense of a call to Islam. The truth, as the polytheists attacked him by expelling him from his country and began fighting the Muslims and preventing their call, so fighting was a means to protect the call.

Dr. Nazir Ayyad warned of the misconceptions adopted by some extremist groups, which focused on the fact that the origin of the relationship between Muslims and others is based on jihad and war, stressing that the origin of the relationship is peace and reconciliation, and that Islam favors peace, not war, and does not permit the killing of a soul simply because it believes in something other than Islam, nor He permits fighting opponents simply because of differences in religion, but rather permits and requires fighting if Muslims are attacked.

His Eminence indicated that this deep understanding of the issue of peace in Islam is consistent with the position of the Egyptian state and its political, religious and national leaders, stressing that Egypt is a pioneer of peace and peace in the world today as it was in the past, and that its history proves that its wars were in defense of self, honour, and land, and that it did not practice any aggression, and did not neglect its religious or religious rights. National or international, mentioning  Modern Egypt embodied the model of “peace of strength and reason.” His Eminence the Mufti cited the words of the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser: “We want a just peace, not surrender, and we want Egypt to be a force that maintains peace in its region.” And the words of the late President Anwar Sadat: “We fought for peace, which is peace based on justice, and our enemy sometimes talks about peace, but there is a difference between peace.” “Aggression and the peace of justice” and the words of the late President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak: “We chose the path of peace of our own free will, because we believe that peace is what opens the doors of hope for peoples,” leading to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s declaration: “We extend our hands with peace to all the peoples of the world, and we reject wars, extremism and hatred, because peace is the path of life.”

His Eminence stressed that the Egyptian religious institutions have led A pivotal role in promoting a culture of peace. Al-Azhar Al-Sharif leads the “Egyptian Family House” In cooperation with the Orthodox Church to consolidate national unity and combat the discourse of violence, while the Egyptian Fatwa House, through the General Secretariat of the role and fatwa bodies in the world, has become a unifying platform for coordinating fatwa efforts and enhancing cooperation between religious leaders globally, which contributed to consolidating peace, strengthening preventive religious diplomacy, and providing spaces for dialogue and exchanging experiences to protect societies from extremism and violence, indicating that these integrated efforts do not only serve the Egyptian interior, but also extend their effects to the international arena, supporting the sustainable development agenda, through Providing a safe environment that gives decision-makers moral and spiritual tools to build political and economic systems that are more just, comprehensive, secure and peaceful.

At the end of his speech, His Eminence the Mufti recommended to the youth five basic commandments, in which he stressed the importance of displaying Qur’anic morals and adhering to its blessed qualities, so that they become a living model of the Qur’an on earth, for people to imitate and be guided by their Qur’anic guidance in their sayings. And their actions

 

He stressed the need to continue and persevere in learning the sciences of Islamic Sharia and jurisprudence in its issues, and to delve into its meanings, secrets and purposes in accordance with the rational Al-Azhari approach, so that youth are an effective tool upon which the nations depend in enhancing security and societal stability, pointing to the importance of belonging to the nations, loving their good, preserving religious and national identity, and participating effectively in development and civilizational construction, with Protect yourself against any deviant ideology that seeks to attract them towards extremism and extremism, which leads to destabilization and the destruction of societies.

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