Al-Azhar welcomes US-Iranian ceasefire and sparing of civilians from horrors of war

CAIRO – 8 April 2026: The Grand Imam, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, has welcomed the cessation of hostilities against Iran and the sparing of innocent civilians from the horrors of war and conflict. The statement was released via his official Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The Grand Imam wrote: “We welcome the cessation of war against Iran and the sparing of innocent civilians from the horrors of conflict. Simultaneously, we demand an immediate end to Iranian attacks on the Gulf states. We appreciate the wisdom and restraint exercised by the leaders of the Gulf states, Jordan, and Iraq, who have avoided being drawn into a wider regional conflict despite the unjustified aggression directed against them.

We highly value the mediation efforts led by Egypt, Pakistan, and other Arab nations. We pray that this truce leads to lasting stability across the region and the world, ensuring that innocent people enjoy security, safety, and peace. It is our hope that reason, wisdom, and humanity will prevail—that the interests of humanity are placed above all else, and that bloodshed stops everywhere.”

He further added: “Raising the voice of peace above the din of weapons, prioritizing the logic of mercy over the chaos of power, and maintaining the self-control to remember the suffering of the innocent is the true victory. Its value is measured by the lives it saves, the dignity it preserves, and the security it instills in the hearts of all people. Wars only bequeath death, destruction, and ruin; they cause a decline in moral values and leave behind deep wounds in the collective human spirit.”