A Moral Imperative: How Religious Leaders Can Transform Dialogue Into Action

At a major gathering in Baku, the Muslim Council of Elders articulated a vision in which interfaith dialogue becomes not merely a courtesy between communities, but a deliberate force for peace and a bulwark against extremism.

The 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue convened this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, drawing together heads of state, ministers, and representatives of international organisations to grapple with the central challenge of our fractured moment. Yet among the assembled voices, one message emerged with particular clarity: the problem facing the world is not religious and cultural diversity itself, but rather the failure to manage such diversity with wisdom, justice and genuine mutual respect.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, General Advisor to the Muslim Council of Elders, framed this distinction with precision during a session on the dialogue of religions. Differences, he argued, need not be sources of conflict. Instead, they can become sources of mutual understanding and complementarity, if communities possess the wisdom to perceive them so. This vision extends beyond the familiar rhetoric of peaceful coexistence. True dialogue, Abdelsalam suggested, demands something more ambitious: a collective commitment to shaping the future of humanity itself.

Central to this argument lies the Document on Human Fraternity, signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis. That historic agreement affirmed a principle both simple and profound: genuine faith operates as a moral force for protecting human dignity, never as a justification for hatred or exclusion. When religion becomes a tool for extremism, terrorism or incitement to hatred, Abdelsalam emphasised, it represents a distortion of the authentic message that lies at the heart of all great faith traditions: the spreading of mercy and peace.

The responsibility of religious leaders, he argued, reaches far beyond advocacy for mere coexistence. It extends to confronting extremist ideologies directly, to countering attempts to exploit religion for purposes of discord, and to protecting young people from the seductions of radicalisation and intolerance. This reflects an approach articulated in earlier calls for a unified defence against extremism and radicalisation, where the Council emphasised the necessity of strengthened protections for vulnerable populations.

Abdelsalam called for the development of a shared vision that would transform interreligious dialogue into an instrument of tangible force: ending wars and conflicts, building lasting peace, combating extremism and hate speech, and strengthening partnerships among religious, cultural and international institutions. Such collaboration, he contended, would translate the values of human fraternity from noble principle into lived reality. The path forward begins with recognising that what unites people runs far deeper than what divides them.

His Eminence Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, member of the Muslim Council of Elders and spiritual leader of Muslims in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, amplified this message, emphasising the importance of fostering tolerance, coexistence and human fraternity, and strengthening cooperation among religious leaders in confronting hatred while advancing peace and stability within societies.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi has positioned itself at the forefront of global interfaith dialogue, a vision crystallised in the Document on Human Fraternity and embodied in institutions like the Muslim Council of Elders. The participation of the Council in this significant forum in Baku demonstrates the Emirate’s continued commitment to shaping international discourse around the possibilities of dialogue. As the Council advanced global interfaith dialogue at the G20 Forum only weeks earlier, these efforts form part of a sustained engagement in international affairs.

For Abu Dhabi’s residents and its leadership, the Council’s work carries particular resonance. The Emirate has built its character upon the principles now being articulated on the world stage: the notion that diversity is not merely tolerated but cherished as a wellspring of understanding and collaboration. In a world increasingly fractured by conflict and polarisation, Abu Dhabi’s voice calling for shared moral responsibility and collective action offers both a model and an invitation to other communities seeking pathways toward genuine peace.

Source: WAM