Egypt’s Grand Mufti calls for tolerance, co-existence

Ali Rajab

Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Shawqi Allam, has said that Islam is a religion of tolerance and mercy.

This religion, he said, calls for co-existence and dialogue.

“Dialogue is a religious necessity,” Allam said. “Diversity is proof of the power and wisdom of God.”

He noted in a statement on November 16, on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance, that Islam underscores the importance of the unity of mankind.

He added that this unity is of paramount importance in Islam, regardless of the faith each group of people follows.

God, he said, instructed Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, to believe in all the prophets who had been sent to humanity before him.

“He also instructed Muhammad to believe in all the other divine faiths,” Allam said.

He noted that tolerance, co-existence and dialogue are capable of putting an end to a large number of the conflicts the world witnesses today.

Allam called for encouraging moderate religious discourse.

“This discourse must also be accompanied by an honest desire to spread peace,” Allam said. “There is also an urgent need for understanding those living with us on the planet, within the framework of the partnership that we should build with everybody else.”