The grand imam of Al-Azhar, the world's most prestigious Islamic Sunni institution, made the remarks during the celebration of Moulid El-Nabi - Prophet Muhammad's birth anniversary - at Manara International Conference Centre in New Cairo.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, state officials, and religious scholars attended the celebration, which was hosted by the Ministry of Religious Endowments (Awqaf).

In his speech, El-Tayyeb extended greetings to El-Sisi, the Egyptian people, and Arab and Islamic nations on the occasion of the Moulid El-Nabi.

The grand imam noted that the late well-known Irish writer George Bernard Shaw praised Islam as a system that establishes the pillars of peace and hailed Prophet Muhammad as a man who would solve all the problems of humanity today.

"If Bernard Shaw thinks the return of Muhammad's guidance is necessary to save our world today, I see that this has become more of a necessity to save our Muslim communities from inhumane conditions," El-Tayyeb said.

He added that these conditions have been imposed by "some people who claim they abide by the instructions of the prophet, and his religion and jurisprudence, while they kill innocents."

El-Tayyeb castigated those individuals who "turn Allah's mosques … to arenas for war where lives are lost, blood is shed, bodies shattered, sanctities violated, and the rights of people, and the rights of women, girls and children squandered."

The grand imam warned that brutal killings committed by Muslims against Muslims fuel "far-right tendencies in the West and East" and increase the so-called "Islamophobia".

He described the Prophet Muhammad as a forgiving person who was never harsh or bad-tongued or immoral.

"He was not a loud person who raises his voice in the streets and markets. He did not repay evil with evil, but rather with pardon and forgiveness," he said.

El-Tayyeb added that the Prophet Muhammad "never hit someone with his hands except in Jihad, never beat a servant or a woman, and was never seen avenging any injustice he suffered so long as God's prohibitions were not violated."

During the celebrations, the grand imam presented a vintage version of Al-Azhar Mushaf (Quran) that has taken over 20 years to be prepared and featured with geometric motifs inspired by precious Quranic manuscripts that date back to the Ilkhanid and Mamluk eras.

The guilding in this version of the Mushaf has been preserved by high-quality papers made from cotton, while the cover is made of cow leather. It was typeset using King Fouad’s handwriting, automatically regenerated via computer under the supervision of skilled calligraphers.

Sunday’s event commemorated the Moulid El-Nabi, which comes every year on 12 Rabi' Al-Awwal – the third month of the Islamic calendar – and falls this year on 19 October on the Gregorian calendar.

The event started with reciting verses of Holy Quran.

Minister of Religious Endowments Mokhtar ​Gomaa presented the president a series of Ro'ya (Vision) publications issued by the ministry to correct religious misconceptions.

During the celebration, El-Sisi honoured a number of religious figures from Egypt and the Islamic world for their intellectual contributions.

In a speech, El-Sisi affirmed that Egypt will continue "building awareness and reforming religious discourse as a collaborative, participatory responsibility."