Cairo: Egypt's Grand Mufti Nazir Mohamed Ayyad called on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, for promoting a culture of dialogue and strengthening the values of citizenship and peaceful coexistence to help build more cohesive and stable societies.
According to State Information Service Egypt, in a statement delivered on his behalf by Ahmed Mamdouh Saad, Secretary of Fatwa and a member of the Grand Mufti's Higher Advisory Board, at the Conference of the Christian-Muslim Relations Network in Cairo, Ayyad said relations between Muslims and Christians are rooted in a long shared history and common human experience rather than being a response to political developments or contemporary crises. He said the Quran presents diversity as a basis for mutual understanding rather than conflict, adding that differences should serve as an opportunity for dialogue and ethical engagement rather than hostility.
Ayyad emphasized that peace in religious thought extends beyond the absence of war to include security, protection of life, preservation of human dignity, and good relations among neighbors, adding that similar values are found in the Christian tradition. He described peacebuilding as an active process requiring courage, patience, and wisdom, saying peacemakers reject turning suffering into hatred or revenge.
The Grand Mufti cited the migration of early Muslims to Abyssinia and the protection they received from King Negus as an early example of Muslim-Christian relations based on justice and mutual respect. Referring to Egypt, Ayyad said the country's history reflects centuries of coexistence between Muslims and Christians, noting that the arrival of Islam complemented, rather than erased, the country's earlier religious heritage.
He warned that extremism carried out in the name of religion ultimately harms religion itself, adding that attacks on mosques or churches target the nation as a whole. Ayyad said Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta plays a key role in promoting dialogue, correcting misconceptions, and countering extremist narratives through a moderate religious discourse that upholds citizenship, respect for all members of society, and rejection of hatred and attacks on places of worship.
He warned against the misuse of religious texts to fuel conflicts and justify division, stressing that such texts should serve as a source of guidance, mercy, and peace. The Grand Mufti said coexistence does not require abandoning religious beliefs or blurring distinctions between faiths but rather respecting differences, cooperating on shared humanitarian goals, and safeguarding the rule of law.
He concluded by saying that building peace requires translating shared values into practical educational and cultural programs, adding that Egypt's religious and civilizational heritage enables it to offer a model of coexistence based on faith, partnership, and mutual respect.