The Inter-Islamic Dialogue Conference, under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, began its work on February 19 in Manama, the capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the slogan "One Ummah, One Destiny."
The conference, jointly organized by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Bahrain, and the Muslim Council of Elders, is being attended by renowned scholars (ulemas), Grand Ayatollahs (marja’ al-taqlid), academics, thinkers, and prominent religious figures of the recognized Sunni and Shia schools of thought in the Islamic world.
The Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board (CMB), member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade, met with the patron of the reputable conference – His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain – at a reception ceremony in honor of the Conference and conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to His Majesty the King. He expressed his deep gratitude to the Head of the State of Bahrain for his high support and patronage in bringing about such a historically significant and reputable gathering for our Ummah.
At the opening ceremony of the Bahrain Conference, speeches were delivered by the Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Bahrain Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Khalifa, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Dr. Muhammad Abdul Salam, the former Secretary-General of the OIC Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and a number of prominent religious, state, and public figures from the Muslim world.
Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade delivered a report at the conference, which is being held with the aim of dialogue in an atmosphere of mutual understanding for the sake of the future of the Muslim world and humanity as a whole.
Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade highly appreciated the joint efforts of the reputable assembly gathered in Manama with the God-pleasing goal of strengthening our unity within the Islamic world, towards inter-Islamic dialogue, applying wasatiyya (moderation) in the direction of inter-sectarian understanding, and relying on the moderate values of our sacred religion, for the sake of ensuring inter-Islamic solidarity.
In his speech, the Chairman of the CMB, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade, proudly emphasized that inter-Islamic dialogue has been successfully established in Azerbaijan and yields real positive results, and provided the participants of the Bahrain forum with detailed information about our country's exemplary experience in the field of inter-sectarian understanding: “My homeland, Azerbaijan, has historically been a country where various schools of thought existed. Today, a rare example of inter-sectarian understanding and brotherhood is being lived out in the person of independent Azerbaijan. Each of you can visit Azerbaijan and observe the way of life I am talking about. It is a situation unparalleled in the world that, based on the fatwa of the religious center, azans (calls to prayer) are given simultaneously in Azerbaijani mosques according to a unified calendar, joint prayers are performed at the same time in the mosques, following the same Imam. Shias and Sunnis participate equally in religious holidays and ceremonies, during the period of Muharram, and the Ashura mourning ceremonies, and celebrate the blessed Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) and the month of Ramadan on the same days according to a unified calendar. Our state has legally banned the insult of Islamic saints and companions as hate speech. This wise state policy is the legacy of our nation's Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and is successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev. I would like to note with pride that His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev is an active defender of the ideas of Islamic solidarity on a global scale and a political leader who always resolutely speaks out against Islamophobia on the international stage.”
The views of Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade regarding Azerbaijan's achievements in the field of inter-Islamic dialogue aroused great interest and were welcomed with applause at the Bahrain conference.
The Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, held meetings within the framework of the event with the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hissein Brahim Taha, the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Bahrain Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Khalifa, and others.
On February 19, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan and the Head of the Secretariat of the Congresses of Astana, Maulen Ashimbayev, met with Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade and presented the CMB Chairman with an invitation letter, signed by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions to be held in Astana this September. Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade, a permanent member of the Secretariat of the Congresses of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, was informed about the format of the upcoming congress.

The Conference continues its work.

Press Service of the Caucasus Muslims Board

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