Muslim Council of Elders hosts Iftars for religious leaders, figures in Kazakhstan, Pakistan

Muslim Council of Elders

The Muslim Council of Elders recently hosted Iftars in Kazakhstan and Pakistan, with the participation of prominent religious leaders and figures from various sectors.

The event aimed to reinforce values of tolerance, peace, acceptance, and dialogue among religions, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.

In Kazakhstan, the Central Asia branch of the Muslim Council of Elders organised the Iftar, attended by notable figures including, Nukezhanov Yerzhan Bolathanuly Head of Kazakhstan's Religious Affairs Committee, Ershat Agybayuly, Deputy Mufti of Kazakhstan, Yangaliev Asghat Jomarovych, Leader of the Baha'i Faith Religious Association, and Novgorodov Yuri Timofeevich, Leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Religious Association, alongside ambassadors, Senate members, and intellectuals.

Dr. Darkhan Qydyrali, Kazakhatan's Senate Deputy and Supervisor of the Muslim Council of Elders office in Central Asia, emphasised that establishing the branch aligns with the shared vision of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders as well as the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairman of the Senate and Secretary-General of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. The goal is to enhance cooperation in promoting dialogue, tolerance, and peace, building on Kazakhstan's exemplary model of coexistence.

The Iftar also featured speeches by Adil Kurmanzhanuly Akhmetov, a Member of the Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States and Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and Baitilesuly Zhusip Nurtore, a Kazakh Senate Deputy and Chairman of the Committee for Social-Cultural Development and Science, praising the establishment of the Central Asia branch to enhance communication, revive intellectual heritage, and educate younger generations.

In Pakistan, the Muslim Council of Elders branch organised an Iftar attended by religious leaders such as Dr. Qibla Ayaz, the current Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, and political, academic, and media personalities.

Dr. Ayaz commended the Council's efforts over the past decade under Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb's chairmanship to promote peaceful coexistence and human fraternity.

He stressed the importance of instilling these values in current and future generations to foster understanding and communication among different religious communities.

Other attendees, including former parliament member Sardar Ranjit Singh and Christopher Sharif, coordinator of the "Sabian Pakistan" programme for Christian minorities, who praised the Muslim Council of Elders for promoting harmony among religions and emphasised the role of religious leaders in addressing global humanitarian challenges.

The Muslim Council of Elders, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, has established branches in Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan, aiming to strengthen communication with Muslims worldwide and promote dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence.