“We are witnessing Ukrainian civilians leaving their homes in search of safety and security, which is a true test of our humanity,” El-Tayyeb said in a series of tweets in Arabic, English, and — for the first time — in Ukrainian on his official Twitter account.

“I call on the international community to increase humanitarian aid to Ukraine and exert further efforts to end the war,” he said, adding that he asked Allah Almighty to help the innocent return to their homes sooner rather than later.

Last week, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the world’s leading Sunni Muslim institution, called on Russia and Ukraine to defer to the voice of reason as well as on world leaders and international institutions to support peaceful solutions between the two neighbours.

“Wars will only bring more death, destruction, and hatred to our world. Conflicts can only be settled through dialogue,” he said last week. 

#الإمام_الطيب #شيخ_الأزهر #أوكرانيا#الحرب_الروسية_الأوكرانية pic.twitter.com/64PkYgTEXW

— الأزهر الشريف (@AlAzhar) March 6, 2022