Imam of al-Azhar responds to Ayatollah Makarem’s letter

Rasa – The Grand Imam of al-Azhar University has responded to a letter sent by Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi wherein he emphasized the importance of maintaining Muslim unity.

News ID: 3219

Date: 25 August 2015 - 17:08

RNA – In the wake of recent correspondence with Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi, a senior Iranian Shi’ite religious authority, Dr. Ahmad al-Tayyib, the Grand Imam of Egypt’s renowned Sunni institution of al-Azhar University, has issued a response to a letter issued by Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

In his previous letter, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi criticized Dr. al-Tayyib over some of the remarks he made during his weekly television show in Egypt in regard to the differences between Sunni and Shi’ites and the insults against certain Sunni personalities made by some Shi’ites and called for dialogue over these issues.

Dr. al-Tayyib thanked the Iranian source of emulation for his letter and emphasized the importance of maintaining unity between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims.

In his letter, the Grand Imam explained that in the current era, religious conflicts have not been over intellectual disagreements but rather they have developed into wars and bloodshed that neither Sunni nor Shi’ite Muslims can benefit from.

His Eminence stressed that the enemies of Islam are exploiting these disagreements and waiting to ambush the Muslims.

Dr. al-Tayyib added: “Politicians are misusing these religious conflicts in order to commit murder, to interfere in the affairs of others and to insult others’ religious sanctities and personalities.”

The Sunni scholar also pointed to the need for dialogue among Islamic religious scholars, saying: “I have repeatedly stressed the need to hold a conference with the participation of the most prominent Sunni and Shi’ite scholars so that through dialogue, we can understand the risks facing all of us and be victorious. During this conference we must issue a fatwa in prohibition of the murder of Shi’ites by Sunnis and also in prohibition the murder of Sunnis by Shi’ites.”

In conclusion, he expressed hope that Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi will participate in his proposed conference.

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