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In collaboration with The World Muslim Communities Council, The Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs, in Brazil organised a virtual seminar titled 'The Imam's- preacher's- role in promoting social peace' today, Saturday August 22, 2020. In addition, to the participation of about 100 honorable scholars and imams (preachers) from more than twelve countries from Latin America and the Caribbean countries.

HE Dr Mohammad Mattar Al Kaabi, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Awqaf in the United Arab Emirates, in his keynote speech at the seminar, said: 'I am honoured to convey to you the greetings of the UAE and its leadership, and I thank you for the generous invitation as we are at the advent of a new Hijri year'.

He added that this seminar is a pioneering initiative on the right path, given its exchange of experiences between religious institutions to serve Muslim societies, stressing the need to liberate the religious discourse from the hands of extremists, who abducted it from the hands of extremists who wreaked havoc on the face of the earth.

HE  Mohammad Mattar Al Kaabi explained that the correct way to confront extremism lies in the development of moderate religious awareness. Also, the support to influential religious opinion leaders, as well as strengthening community peace and helping Muslims to play a positive role in building their societies and creating a bright future that highlights the civilization of our religion, as the pulpits of our mosques are the trust we must preserve. For they to become the platforms of tranquility, moderation, coexistence, the mercy ordering justice and respect for rights.

The Chairman of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Awqaf in the United Arab Emirates said: 'We seek to see in our societies an imam (a preacher) who plays his true role and strives for the good of all people. And respects the divine religions and the beliefs of others, and does not offend the beliefs of their followers or their house of worship. An Imam (a preacher) who preserves the civilized image of mosques and elevates its mission to spread a culture of tolerance, and he seeks to promote coexistence between all components of society and avoids discrimination. Moreover, the imam must work to deepen love and community cohesion and avoid hate speech and works on the development of religious awareness in his community and the belonging sentiments to his homeland.

He added: ' We used to see how our rulers were receiving, celebrating and honoring senior non-Muslim religious figures, embodying the approach of tolerance, coexistence and human partnership that the UAE believes in." Al Kaabi stressed that the UAE seeks to promote world peace, spread the authentic values of Islam and deliver its real image and to affirm that Islam is a religion for tolerance and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

HE Dr Mohammad Mattar Al Kaabi affirmed that the UAE is known since its foundation by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, of its initiatives to spread peace in the region and the world at large.  He also praised the role of all the imams (preachers) of mosques in this country and he sends a message of affection, appreciation, respect and reverence to them and invites them to work for a world of love and peace, stressing that we are called to establish peace, harmony and security in society.

While Sheikh Dr. Abdul Hamid Metwally, head of the Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs in Brazil, said that God is peace and heaven is the abode of peace, construction and reconstruction. And he added that modern civilization is based on great books, noting that the Holy Qur'an is full of ideas that contribute to building civilizations. For peace is not submission, but it is rather construction and not demolition. He also said that this is the message of peace and preachers in Latin America, affirming that establishing a state for the Palestinians is a duty, but it must be established through peace and that peace is better than war, devastation and destruction, as it is impermeability of blood, preservation of peoples and prosperous for the welfare of the earth.

In turn, Dr. Ali Al-Khatib, the representative of the Lebanese Dar Al-Fatwa in Brazil, said that the preacher has a great role in spreading the culture of tolerance and societal peace. And he added that the word peace was mentioned in the Holy Qur'an in many verses, and this means a clear indication of God’s call to all Muslims to spread peace and safety in Society. He also added that the preachers should call with good words, wisdom and good advice to be serving as bridges of communication to spread peace in all societies.

Dr. Sami Al-Burai, Vice President of the Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs in Brazil, explained that the responsibility for reform lies in fact on the priest of the preachers because God has honored them with this great responsibility. Among the peoples, the mentor preacher protects his parish from perdition and harmonizes their hearts.

Ibrahim El-Desouki Al-Alfi, Secretary-General of the Uruguay Islamic Centre, affirmed that the preachers can play a great role as they influence the gathering of the Muslim diaspora and unify their ranks by promoting societal peace. He said also that the preacher has a status, and importance of the great responsibility towards his concerned community and his positive role in promoting peace and spreading the call to it. Preachers must reject violence, criminalize transgression and bloodshed, and call for coexistence, rapprochement and cooperation between all nationalities.

Sheikh Saeed Al-Wahhabi of the Islamic Center in Mexico stressed that the Islamic message must emerge from reality. He referred that there is no problem concerning Mexico, for tolerance between religions is very clear and the environment is convenient to be invested in.