El-Tayyeb made the remarks during a meeting with French Ambassador to Cairo Éric Chevallier to discuss ways to strengthen scientific, cultural, and educational cooperation between Al-Azhar and France.
“The problem today is one of arrogance and reliance on material power represented by weapons,” the Grand Imam said, according to an Al-Azhar statement.
“The wars that erupted in the East without real causes have affected the West economically and socially. Yet these wars have not achieved any of the goals for which they were launched,” he added.
El-Tayyeb attributed the continuation of global crises to what he described as a departure from humanitarian and religious values, saying the world is suffering from “forces unrestrained by ethics and morality.”
He also noted that although there are “rational voices” calling for peace and restraint, they remain too weak in confronting “chaotic forces.”
Al-Azhar has been outspoken in opposing Western military interventions in the Middle East, including the US support for the Israeli wars in Palestine and Lebanon, and the US-Israeli attacks on civilian targets in Iran as a violation of international law.
It has also supported Cairo's diplomatic efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to end the conflict between the US and Iran.
Meanwhile, France has opposed the US-Israeli war on Iran as a violation of international laws. Moreover, France led international efforts to recognize the State of Palestine.
The meeting additionally focused on the longstanding academic and cultural ties between Al-Azhar and France, particularly through the French-language departments at Al-Azhar University’s Faculty of Languages and Translation and the institution’s French language centre.
El-Tayyeb recalled his personal experience studying French and spending time in France, noting that generations of Al-Azhar scholars were encouraged by professors educated in French universities to learn the language.
He also revealed that he had translated books on Sufism and Islamic philosophy from Arabic into French and expressed hope that younger researchers would continue efforts to translate Islamic intellectual heritage into foreign languages.
For his part, Chevallier praised El-Tayyeb’s efforts in promoting human fraternity and global peace and voiced appreciation for the existing academic cooperation between France and Al-Azhar, stressing Paris’ keenness to further strengthen scientific and cultural ties.
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