Salam invites Grand Imam of al-Azhar to visit Lebanon before end of year

BEIRUT — Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayeb, in Cairo on Thursday, and invited him to visit Lebanon before the end of the year, according to a statement published by the Grand Serail.

During the meeting, Salam briefed the Grand Imam on the latest developments in Lebanon, stressing that Lebanon, with its "diverse Islamic and Christian composition, needs the support of al-Azhar to consolidate the spirit of human brotherhood and tolerance and to confront discourses of strife and intolerance."

Al-Azhar is one of the world's oldest centers of Islamic learning. Founded in 970 CE as a mosque and later developing into a university, al-Azhar has played a significant role in the religious, educational and political life of the Islamic world for over a millennium.

Salam also invited the Grand Imam to visit Lebanon before the end of the year, considering that "his presence in Beirut would send a unifying message to all Lebanese and reflect al-Azhar's historic role in establishing a culture of dialogue and coexistence."

For his part, al-Tayeb welcomed the invitation and suggested that his upcoming visit to Lebanon coincide with the holding of an "Islamic conference in Beirut to enshrine the principles of the documents on Human Fraternity and Citizenship, which emphasize a culture of tolerance, peace and coexistence." He also renewed al-Azhar's commitment to fulfilling its global role in "confronting extremism and working to spread a culture of moderation."

As part of his visit, Salam held a meeting on Wednesday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who reaffirmed his country's "full support" for Lebanon and its efforts to "restore stability and embark on the path of economic recovery and reconstruction."