“In Islam, preaching about God is defined to be through wisdom and rational conversation that does not insult others or their beliefs. The Quran states that there is no compulsion in religion,” Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb said in his speech before the International Forum of Muslim and Christian Youth.
The top Muslim scholar delivered a speech on Sunday—the third and the final day of the forum—before an audience of forum participants coming from 15 African, European, and Asian countries in which he promoted modesty and tolerance of Islam.
Al-Tayeb continued that the logic of the Quran is based on the fact that God has created different people who vary in their religious beliefs, norms, values, skin colour, and native languages. This makes it impossible to force people to join a single belief or culture. The imam added that attempts to force people into a religion are against the will of God.
The head of Egypt’s top Islamic institution stressed that major religions, including Islam, forbid shedding blood of the innocent, and assaulting or terrorising them. “In Islam, deviating from that is a major crime and corruption on earth, which Islam orders to counter and protect society of its devastating effects,” he said.
