Cairo— Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed al-Tayyib, stressed the need of building greater mutual trust between Sunni and Shiite intellectuals by engaging in constructive dialogue that will substantially contribute to achieving security and peace. "Al-Azhar is concerned with the unity of Iraq where all citizens are to be equal in rights and duties," said al-Tayyib during a meeting with Ammar Al-Hakim, the leader of Iraq's Shia National Alliance bloc in the Iraqi parliament. "Al-Azhar was and remains the umbrella under which all Muslims, Sunni and Shiite, come together," added al-Tayyib. For his part, Al-Hakim said that Al-Azhar is tantamount to the lighthouse of tolerance, openness and moderation, adding that "Iraqis are always looking forward to cooperation and coordination with this time-honored institution which is the voice of reason and wisdom representing all Muslims worldwide." According to the Iraqi-based Al-Manar TV, Ammar al-Hakim met on Wednesday in Cairo with Al-Tayyib where "The two sides stressed the importance of fighting extremism and consolidating the cooperation between the Al-Azhar and Najaf religious centers," The statement also noted that al-Hakim confirmed that Iraqi is ahead of an ultimate victory over the ISIS terrorist group.
