Lebanese prime minister invites Al-Azhar grand imam to visit Lebanon by Year-End

Friday 29 August 2025 - 10:45

By: Sahili Aya

Lebanese prime minister invites Al-Azhar grand imam to visit Lebanon by Year-End

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met Thursday in Cairo with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayeb, inviting him to visit Lebanon before the end of the year, according to an official statement from the Grand Serail.

During the meeting, Salam briefed the Grand Imam on recent developments in Lebanon, emphasizing that the country, with its diverse Islamic-Christian composition, needs Al-Azhar’s support to promote human fraternity, tolerance, and to counter messages of discord and intolerance.

Al-Azhar, founded in 970 as a mosque and later transformed into a university, is one of the oldest and most respected centers of Islamic learning. For over a millennium, it has played a central role in religious, educational, and political life across the Muslim world.

Salam highlighted that the Grand Imam’s presence in Beirut would send a unifying message to all Lebanese and underline Al-Azhar’s historical role in fostering dialogue and coexistence. Sheikh al-Tayeb welcomed the invitation and suggested that his visit coincide with an Islamic conference in Beirut focused on the principles of human fraternity and citizenship, promoting tolerance, peace, and coexistence.

During his Cairo visit, Salam also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who reaffirmed Egypt’s “full support” for Lebanon and efforts to restore stability and advance economic recovery and reconstruction.