At the invitation of Al-Ittihad Newspaper and the center TRENDS Research & Advisory in Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), participated on Tuesday, 14 Safar 1443H corresponding to September 21, 2021G, in a symposium organized by Al-Ittihad Newspaper and the center TRENDS Research & Advisory in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, entitled “Promoting the Culture of Peace and Tolerance in the World: What Do we Need to do?”

The symposium is organized to celebrate the International Day of Peace, and was opened by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence in the UAE, with a recorded speech in which he stressed the need to enhance awareness of the importance of peace, tolerance and coexistence through these occasions and seminars.

His Excellency Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano’s intervention focused on “a culture of tolerance and peace as a starting point for ending the conflicts of the world and the region.” His Excellency began his speech by saying: “the Quranic verse, “And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that are signs for those of knowledge (Ar Rum: 22), is a declaration and confirmation that difference is a universal law, and an eternal will; that is to say, the difference of tongues and colors means different cultures, languages, races, tastes and beliefs, and this difference in reality is a difference of diversity and richness, not a difference of contradiction and conflict. The aim of this difference is to be the starting point for integration, cooperation, support, and solidarity”.

He added that “the conflicts that we are witnessing today in the world are only the result of the transition of the difference between human beings of diversity and richness to difference of contradiction and conflict, and in fact it is the result of a set of beliefs and behaviors that the individual learns in his environment and society and pushes him to act contrary to God’s law in the universe. God did not create human beings to fight under any pretext or justification, but rather to benefit from difference and diversity positively and to consolidate the values ​​of tolerance, peace and a culture of moderation that must play its role in confronting these conflicts and ending the culture of violence and exclusion”.

As for the relationship between peace and tolerance, His Excellency said, “It is very important to note how the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, linked between human fraternity and spreading peace in the hadith: “You do not enter Paradise until you believe, and you do not believe until you love each other. One thing if you do you will love each other, spread peace among you.”

Fraternity is based on tolerance, and the meaning of tolerance is peace, as if tolerance is a prelude to peace. Therefore, there is an urgent need to promote tolerance and spread peace and love among people so that they all live in safety and tranquility, not afraid of anything because of religious, sectarian or ethnic differences.”

In his speech, His Excellency praised the qualitative shift in the culture of tolerance and peace from the intellectual and theoretical world to the world of practice in the United Arab Emirates, through its uniqueness in the world by establishing an independent ministry called the Ministry of Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence, to spread and consolidate the values ​​of tolerance and coexistence, and to promote awareness of their importance and role in achieving security, safety and stability. His Excellency also praised the importance of this symposium, which he considered an opportunity for tolerance and peace to become a permanent behavior and part of our daily life, cutting away from the repeated rhetoric about them and making them our acquired values practiced all of the time.

His Excellency concluded his speech by noting the distinguished work done by the center TRENDS Research & Advisory and Al Ittihad Newspaper in organizing rich seminars and their keenness to support efforts that seek to establish peace and love between peoples and religions.

It is worth mentioning that some clergymen representing Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism participated in the symposium. The Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Dr. Sultan Al-Rumaithi, also participated via videoconferencing.