In The Name of Allah,
The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful
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Table of Contents
1- The Definition of the Council -------------------------------
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2- The Establishment of the Council ---------------------------
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3- The Vision of the Council ------------------------------------
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4- The Message of Council -------------------------------------
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5- The Objectives of the Council -------------------------------
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6- The Principles of the Council --------------------------------
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7- The Charter of the Council-----------------------------------
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8- The Projects of the Council ----------------------------------
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9- The Members of the Muslim Council of Elders -----------
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Muslim Council of Elders
The Definition of the Council:
The council is an independent international authority, which promotes peace in Muslim societies by avoiding conflict and divisional factors. The council is independent in managing its affairs and expressing its opinions on issues it may face. It does not belong under
the tutelage of any of governments or organizations. It consists of a group of Islamic scholars
whom are characterized by wisdom, justice, independence, and moderation. They promote
reconciliation in Muslim societies so as to spare the Islamic world’s victimization by foreign
interventions, divisions, and conflicts; taking into account the diversity and universality of
Muslim communities.
The Establishment of the Council:
The Muslim Council of Elders was established to implement the recommendations of a forum
promoting peace in Muslim communities, held in the United Arab Emirates on 8th and 9th of
Jumada I, 1435 AH, corresponding to 9th and 10th March, 2014. The council was formed by
the nation’s scholars and experts to alleviate the turmoil and strife prevailing in many societies of Islamic nations. The Council of Elders’ main headquarters are in in Abu Dhabi, the
capital of the United Arab Emirates. Additional branch offices may be formed in other nations
if the Council deems it necessary
The Vision of the Council:
Safe communities that revere science and instill the values of dialogue, peace, tolerance, and
respect for others.
The Message of the Council:
Revive the role of scientists by investing their expertise and dignity in the rationalization of
Muslim communal progress, and eliminate divisiveness to achieve reconciliation.
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The Objectives of the Council:
Identify national priorities according to legitimate, authentic scientific approaches and promote
security, peace, and social justice.
1. Lay the foundations for cooperation and coexistence among the citizens of the same
country and various Muslim countries.
2. Boost confidence and encourage friendly relations and mutual respect between different faiths and doctrines within the same community, in order to achieve public peace
and harmony.
3. Identify the other and the legitimate, scientific basis upon which to conduct interactions with it.
4. Provide an opportunity for Elders of the nation to forbid corruption and create permanent solutions to promote peace in the communities.
5. To embody and emphasize the values of
​​ Islam in dealing with the other in Muslim
societies, and deploy and support the principles of unity and mutual respect between
peoples, on the basis of righteousness, justice, and equality.
6. Identify the root causes of conflict and dissension within Muslim communities and
develop appropriate solutions to address and reduce them.
7. Promote psychological stability and spiritual tranquility between members of Muslim
communities so as to achieve a state of harmony within these communities. This is to
be accomplished through maintaining religiosity and self-presentation, mindfulness,
and prosperity.
8. Strengthen national resistance against extremism, violence, and polarization, from
wherever these threatening forces may arise.
9. Modify, reform, and correct general Islamic concepts so as to avoid confusion or
misrepresentation, and return to authenticity and Islam’s noble objectives.
10.Deploy peace based on justice and the consolidation of jurisprudence in Muslim societies, as a guarantor of all worldly rights; and therefore, of all eternal rights.
11. Publish differences in jurisprudence, and establish common jurisprudence to resolve
disputes by peaceful means within the nation so as to ensure peacefulness and prosperity.
12.Spread the culture of prioritizing realistic, practical jurisprudence to uphold the best
interests of both the individual and the nation.
13.Consolidate spiritual and moral values in
​​ the Muslim communities.
14. Restore the leadership role of scientists as an independent conscience (without bias
or deviation) within Muslim communities in order to revive the nation’s cultural and
scientific authority.
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15. Develop a new discourse that brings about a style of moral and intellectual education
that prioritizes the youth by addressing their needs and achieving their hopes. Ultimately, this education is to encourage youth to engage in an actual culture of peace
and reject hatred and violence.
16. Coordinate and cooperate with reputable international scientific organizations in line
with the approach of the Islamic Central, and in the spirit of peace, dialogue, tolerance, justice, and equality; as a message of the Islamic nation to the world.
17. Correct Islamic legitimacy and clarify ambiguous concepts, disseminate o the values
of peace and justice and frame them in the context of legitimate and clear purposes
through scientific foundations, which practically address national issues, developments, and crises.
The Principles of the Council:
First: To adhere to the principles of Islam and the spirit and the letter of its legacies originating
from the acceptable national curriculum throughout history, which has permeated religious
consciousness and awareness.
Second: To perform its duties on a firm scientific basis, free of influence or interference from
any conflicts, biased intellectuals, politicians, etc.
Third: To urge individuals, groups, and nations to resolve their disputes through peaceful
means, such as negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and other peaceful methods.
Charter of the Council:
First, to promote the concept of peace. Peace is the presence of a state of societal reconciliation, which is prominently featured in the five specializations of Islamic law. The attributes
of peace are: maintaining religion, self-presentation, mind, and money, and doing what is
required to ward off evil, maintain solidarity, and bring benefits.
Second, to promote awareness of the urgency of the current situation, which threatens the
nation by weakening and potentially disintegrating it. Hence, the council emphasizes the
urgent necessity of re-organizing Muslim individuals, households, and groups; prioritizing
undertakings and objectives; and strengthening resistance to extremism, intolerance and
violence, together with marginalization and exclusion.
Third: To redeem the legitimacy of Islamic concepts to remove doubt and confusion from
the minds and souls of some Muslims, particularly in regards to legal concepts. Apply legislation such as that which commands kindness and prohibits evil, promotes obedience to the
ruler, etc.
Legitimization and legislative application of Islamic concepts serves to combat distortions
in Islamic philosophy. These distortions have several deleterious effects. First, they cause
the degeneration of righteous values: such as wisdom, justice, and compassion, which in
turn leads to the prevalence of practices contrary to those intended by genuine Islamic
philosophy. Second, these distortions lead to the corruption and inefficiency of the contemporary Islamic educational system, which currently is unable to facilitate Muslims’ quest for
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integrity and wisdom. The educational system does not account for the ambiguity between
Islamic concepts and several contemporary practices, nor does it close the disparity between
genuine Islamic practices and objectives and some contemporary practices and objectives.
The council seeks to redeem the legitimacy of Islamic concepts through the erasure of the
aforementioned distortions by coping with the differences in Islamic law, and uniting these
differences under the rubric of a ‘jurisprudence of peace.’
Fourth: To seek righteous and pious remedies, which promote cooperation and give the
highest priority to the interests of both men and nations. To adopt the concepts of peace,
tolerance, and justice to cultivate productive dialogue. To revive the intellectual authority
of the nation by restoring the leadership role of scientists within Muslim communities. To
strengthen the national educational system. To adopt any other methods that promote peace
within Muslim communities and beyond.
Fifth: The council seeks to acquire all means -scientific, cultural, informational, electronic,
academic, etc. - that will positively contribute to the achievement of goals and the promotion of peace.
The Projects of the Council:
The initiatives adopted by the Council thus far, to be launched and implemented:
1- Convoys of Peace: Rapid deployment teams, known to “Peace Convoys,” which
promote spaces for peaceful dialogue. These teams may consist of Muslim intellectuals from the Council of Elders and other representatives chosen by the Council.
The overall goal is for the cessation of hostilities regarding religious practices and
concepts, and to encourage debate and dialogue aimed at building confidence and
peace.
2- 100 Questions on the Table of the Muslim Council of Elders: This program addresses controversial issues facing Islam and the Islamic nation. Questions will be
drawn from a comprehensive survey of the concerns and questions of Muslims and
non-Muslims about Islam, their perspectives on the ongoing violence, and their
attitudes toward peace. By answering these questions, the program seeks to dispel
the currently prevailing stereotypes about Islam in the media and government institutions, and in religious, intellectual, and civil communities.
3- Contract Quality Religious Conferences: Conferences will take place at the national
level in line with the various forums that are held at the regional level. These conferences will provide an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation among all Islamic sects, and strategically align the most efficient work of Muslim communities to
confront extremism. All interested parties will be invited to these conferences. Invitees will come from different religious dominations and a wide spectrum of political,
academic, commercial, and civil society groups and organizations.
4- State of the Nation Report: An annual report on the “state of the nation.” The report
will be wide-ranging and cover many topics relevant to the Islamic world and areas
where Muslim communities exist. The report addresses the main issues facing Islamic societies at the global level through the analysis of key actors and dynamics.
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List of Members
Muslim Council of Elders
No.
Name
Country
Designation
1
Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed El Tayeb
Egypt
Sheikh Al-Azhar
Al-Sharif,
2
His Excellency Sheikh Abdallah
Bin Bayyah
Mauritania
3
His Highness Prince Ghazi bin
Muhammad bin Talal
Jordan
4
Dr. Abdul Hakim Jackson
5
Eminence Dr. Hassan Shafie
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HE Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Hamdi
Zakzouk
His Eminence Sheikh al-Sharif
Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hussaini
Chairman of the
Muslim Council of
Elders
Moderator, Promoter of Peace in
Muslim Societies
Chairman of the
Board of Trustees,
Al-Bayt Institute
for Islamic Thought
United States of
Professor of ReAmerica
ligious Studies,
American and
Ethnic Studies, and
King Faisal Chair
of Islamic Thought
and Culture - University of Southern
California
Egypt
Distinguished
Scholar at AlAzhar,
Egypt
Nigeria
Head of the Arabic
Language Academy
Former Minister of
Awqaf
Chairman of the Islamic Fatwa Council of Nigeria
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Prof. Lubabah Al Taher Saleh
Hussein
Tunisia
9
Dr. Ahmed Abdul Aziz Al Haddad
United Arab
Emirates
Dr. Kaltham AlMajid
United Arab
Emirates
10
HE Prof. Dr. Abdullah Nassif
Saudi Arabia
HE Prof. Muhammad Quraish
Shihab
His Excellency Abdel Rahman
Swar al-Dahab
Indonesia
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His Eminence Sayyed Ali alAmin
Sudan
Lebanon
President of the
University of
Ez-Zitouna, previously Professor of
Higher Education,
UAE University
Grand Mufti Director of Fatwa Department of Islamic
Affairs and Charitable Activities in
Dubai
Assistant Professor at the Institute
of Islamic World
Studies
Zayed University
of Dubai
Former President
of the World Muslim Congress
Former Minister of
Religious Affairs
President of the Republic of Sudan,
Chairman of the
Board of Trustees,
The Islamic Organization
Lebanese Religious
Scholar
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Brief Biographies of the Members of the Muslim Council of Elders
Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed El Tayeb - Chairman of the Board
• Sheikh Al-Azhar Al-Sharif
Scientific Qualifications:
• PhD in Religion and Philosophy at Al-Azhar
University (1977).
Positions occupied:
• Grand Mufti of Egypt.
• Chairman of Al-Azhar University.
Research interests:
•
•
•
•
•
•
- The Material Philosophy of Barakat al-Baghdadi.
- Introduction to Ancient Philosophy.
- Investigation of the Existence and Essence of Textual Perspectives.
- Interactions between Islamic Philosophy and Marxist Philosophy
- Scientific Theory regarding Assets of Ash’ari.
- Investigation of Cause and Effect of Textual Perspectives.
His Excellency Abdallah Bin Bayyah - Vice President of the Council
Positions occupied:
• Moderator to promote peace in Muslim societies
• Director of the Global Center for Renewal &
Guidance, UK
Posts include:
• Minister of Basic Education and Religious Affairs in
Mauritania.
• Minister of Justice, Legislator, and Protector.
• Minister of Human Resources
• Minister of National Guidance and Party Organization
Research interests:
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Dialogue on human rights in Islam
The culture of terrorism
Ideological perspectives
Purposes of financial transactions and relevant legal opinions
Manufacturing fatwas and jurisprudence of Muslim Minorities
Innovations in jurisprudence.
His Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal - Jordan
• Great Chancellor of His Majesty King Abdullah II
Scientific Qualifications:
• PhD in Modern Languages ​​and Literatures University of Cambridge (Trinity) College.
• - PhD in Islamic Philosophy - Al-Azhar University.
Positions occupied:
• - President of the Royal Steering Committee for
Islamic Initiative
• - President of the Royal Steering Committee for Religious Dialogue Initiative
• - Chairman of Al al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought
Publications:
• - Searching for Consensus (in English and Arabic)
• - Interpretation of Jalalain (English translation).
• - Hannibal-Jabbar (in English).
• - Al-Insan/Man (joint publication).
• - The Sacred Origin of Sports and Culture (in English).
• - Crisis in the Islamic World (in English).
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His Excellency Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab
• Former President of the Republic of Sudan
Qualifications:
• First military head in the Arab and Muslim worlds
to come to power and fulfill his promise in deliver
civilian government within one year.
Posts include:
• Army Chief of Staff
• Minister of Defense
Positions occupied:
• Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic Dawa Organization.
• Membership in eleven Islamic and global institutions
His achievements through the Islamic Dawa Organization:
• The construction of over 55 secondary schools, and 150 primary and middle
schools.
• The construction of over 2,000 mosques in Africa and Eastern Europe.
• Drilled more than 1,000 wells for water, and erected over 10 water stations in
Africa.
• Construction of 14 general and specialized hospitals, about 800 clinics, and
120 centers for pediatric and maternal care, nutrition, and immunization.
• The construction and supervision of six orphanages in Africa.
• Researcher invited to many Islamic conferences.
His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Omar bin Mohammed Nsif- Arabia
• President of the World Muslim Congress
Scientific Qualifications:
• PhD in Geology - University of Leeds, UK.
Positions occupied:
• Director, King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah
(1400 -1402).
• Secretary General of the Muslim World League in
Mecca (1403- 1413).
• Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council in Saudi
Arabia (1413 – 1422).
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His Excellency Dr. Muhammad Quraish Shihab- Indonesia.
Scientific Qualifications:
• PhD in Islamic Theology, Al-Azhar University
Posts include:
• Former Minister of Religious Affairs in Indonesia
Publications and Research Interests:
• Tafsir Al-Manar: privileges and disadvantages
• Filsafat Hukum Islam (The Philosophy of Islamic Laws)
• Subjective interpretation of Ardiyat Koran
• Lentera Hati: Kisah dan Hikmah Kehidupan (Lantern of Heart: The Story and
Lessons of Life) in 1994 (with multiple reprinted editions)
Sheikh Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hussaini - Nigeria.
• The founder of the Organization of Islamic
Renaissance.
Posts include:
• Chairman of the Islamic Fatwa Council of Nigeria
Scientific writings:
• A wide range of printed and manuscript works of
the most important topics in Islamic studies:
• Atonement of the most dangerous heresies threatening unity among Muslims in Nigeria.
• Islam and peaceful coexistence among peoples.
• The balance of the disparity between humility and pride.
• The approach of Hamid.
• 74 manuscripts and a manuscript currently in press.
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Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Hamdi Zakzouk
• Former Egyptian Minister of Religious Endowments
• Education: Doctor of Philosophy from the University
of Munich, Germany
Positions occupied:
• Member of the Islamic Research Academy at
Al-Azhar Al-Sharif
• Member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
since 1978
• Professor of Philosophy and Sociology at Al-Azhar
University
• Member of the Supreme Council of Al-Azhar
Publications:
• Al Ghazalis Philosophie im Vergleich mit Descartes (Comparison of Al
Ghazali’s Philosophy with that of Descartes, 1992)
• On the Role of Islam in the Development of Philosophical Thought (1989)
• Fragen zum Thema Islam (Questions on Islam, 1999)
• Einführung in den Islam (Introduction to Islam, 2000).
Areas of Interest:
• Orientalism and the intellectual background of the civilizational conflict
• Studies in Modern Philosophy
• Introduction to Islamic Philosophy
• Introduction to Ethics
• Philosophical Methodology
• Contemporary Issues in Islam
• Religion and Civilization
• Religion, Philosophy and Enlightenment
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Prof. Dr. Hassan Mahmoud Abdel-Latif El-Shafei
• Chairman of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo
Scientific Qualifications:
• PhD in Islamic Philosophy from the University of
London.
Areas of interest:
• Contemporary Islamic Thought
• Introduction to the Study of Theology
• Introduction to General Philosophy
• Peripatetic School of Philosophy
• He has produced and translated numerous books and manuscripts in press.
His Eminence Sayyed Ali al-Amin - Lebanon
• Religious Scholar
Areas of Interest:
• Sunnis and Shiites
• Religious Rivalries
• Islamic Science
Dr. Abu Lubabah Tahir Saleh Hussein - Tunisia
• Professor of Higher Education at the University of
the United Arab Emirates
• Scientific Qualifications: PhD in the Science of
Hadith - Al-Azhar University.
Posts occupied:
• President of University of Ez-Zitouna, Tunisia
• Director of the Centre for Islamic Studies of Kairouan.
His works include:
• Mu’tazila School of Islamic Philosophy
• Education in the Sunnah
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Dr. Kaltham AlMajid - United Arab Emirates
• Assistant Professor at the Institute of Islamic World
Studies (Zayed University) Dubai
Scientific Qualifications:
• PhD in Islamic Education from Yarmouk University
in Jordan (2009)
• PhD in Hadith from Mohammed V University in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco (graduated cum laude with
honors, 2010).
Positions occupied:
• Preacher in the Islamic Affairs Department in Dubai (2004)
• Faculty member of the College of Imam Malik Law
Dr. Ahmed Abdul Aziz Al Haddad
Grand Mufti of Dubai
• Director of Fatwa Department of Islamic Affairs and
Charitable Activities in Dubai
• Scientific Qualifications: PhD in Islamic Law from
the University of Umm Al-Qura - Mecca
Posts occupied:
• Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Islamic Studies,
and the College of Imam Malik of Sharia Law
• Expert at the Universal International Islamic Fiqh
Academy of Islamic Conference Organization
• Expert at the Fiqh Academy of the Muslim World League
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Dr. Abdul Hakim Jackson
• Professor of Religious Studies, American and Ethnic
Studies, and King Faisal Chair of Islamic Thought
and Culture at the University of Southern California
- United States. He has previously taught at the University of Texas, Austin; the University of Indiana,
and Wayne University.
• Dr. Jackson has contributed to the publication of numerous articles on Islamic theology, history and law,
and has many publications on the topics of Islamic
law, state constitutional jurisprudence, theology and
tolerance of Islam, mysticism, and African Americans.
• Dr. Jackson is a member of many committees, associations, and institutions
specializing in Islamic Affairs in the United States. He has served as Chairman of Sharia Scholars, North American Association.
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