07/19/2005, 00.00
SYRIA
Send to a friend

Commitment to the Qu'ran without fundamentalism, says grand mufti

by Jihad Issa
In an interview with AsiaNews, Ahmed el-Hassoun stresses the importance of inter-religious dialogue "which can spread justice, a value upheld by all religions".

Damascus (AsiaNews) – Sheikh Ahmed Badr el-Dein el-Hassoun, Syria's new grand mufti, supports a "dialogue that is clear, constructive and mutual" and is convinced of the need for inter-religious dialogue "that is open to all" with "the total willingness to engage all to promote human dignity".

El-Hassoun was appointed by Syrian President Bashir al-Assad to replace Sheikh Ahmed Kaftaro who died a year ago. He was born near in Aleppo (Halab) in 1949 and graduated in Arabic literature and specialised in Sharia studies at al-Azhar in Egypt. He was appointed mufti of Aleppo in 2002.

El- Hassoun is a member of Syria's parliament and of the Higher Religious Council of the Syrian Arab Republic.

A scholar and internationally-renown preacher, he is married with five children.

Government leaders consider him a cultivated and religious man who is involved in social and political affairs.

On July 18, the grand mufti was received by President al-Assad.

After his first official meeting in his capacity as grand mufti, he spoke to AsiaNews about the importance of dialogue with believers of other faiths, a dialogue that "can spread justice, a value upheld by all religions"; that can promote equality among all groups of society and defend; and that can defend tolerance as a primary and necessary condition.

For el-Hassoun, a new proposal is needed, one that "shapes a new dependable generation that can announce the immortal values preached by the prophets;" a generation that is "ready to defend the right values and capable of serving their country and all those who dwell on its territory."

He also has a message for Syria's neighbours "in which the flame of human freedom must remain alive, helping people build a society based on healthy religious principles".

In his view, President el-Assad intends "to promote human dignity through teachings that rekindled religious thirst".

At the end of the official meeting, Sheikh al-Hassoun thanked al-Assad for appointing him and assured him of his total commitment to the teachings of the Qu'ran, "whilst respecting the rights of all, without discrimination, proselytising and fundamentalism".

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
Beirut on the brink of another civil war
08/05/2008
Grand Mufti condemns extremism and violence in sermon, experts discuss it
29/11/2010
Turkish President in Syria . . . an anti-US alliance in the making?
12/04/2005
Al-Azhar monitoring committee backs Maronite patriarch’s support for Lebanese neutrality
15/03/2021 14:07
Grand Mufti of Damascus: Europe aid Syria to extinguish the fire of fundamentalism
05/12/2016 12:27


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”