Al-Azhar’s Call for Sunni-Shia Dialogue Welcomed by WFPIST
Secretary General of WFPIST Hojat-ol-Islam Hamid Shahriari wrote a letter on Monday to grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar mosque Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, welcoming the latter’s call to hold dialogue.
“Your expression of readiness to host this dialogue with the presence of scholars of Al-Azhar shows your readiness in this issue and that you seek to reach these aims with honesty and pure intention and with the aim of approaching God,” Shahriari wrote.
The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought has always voiced its support for “civilizational and pioneering calls” for setting differences aside and considering the “interests of the Ummah” atop personal interests, added the Shia scholar.
“Also today, to voice solidarity with your call, we express our readiness to offer all our facilities in line with the success of this plan,” highlighted the Iranian cleric.
Wishing success for Al-Tayeb and Al-Azhar, Shahriari wished for the realization of “honor, dignity, and security of the Islamic Ummah” and conquering voices that promote “hatred, division, and Takfir” in the Muslim world.
Speaking on Friday in Bahrain, Al-Tayeb said, “I and major scholars of Al-Azhar and Muslim Council of Elders are ready with open arms to sit down together on one roundtable with our Shia brothers to put aside our differences and strengthen our Islamic unity.”
Such a dialogue, he maintained, will aim at chasing away any talk of hate, provocation and excommunication and setting aside ancient and modern conflict in all its forms.
“I call on my brothers, Muslim scholars, across the world of every doctrine, sect and school of thought to hold an Islamic dialogue,” al-Tayeb stressed.
The forum was held in Manama in the presence of Pope Francis who made his first-ever trip to the island.
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