ABU DHABI // A Muslim Council of Elders had been formed in a bid to find a solution to the violent problems plaguing Muslim countries around the world.
Egyptian Grand Imam, Sheikh Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, Sheikh of Al Azhar, said that “it was necessary that we stood up and say we have to take responsibility as Muslim scholars to face this wave of extremism and fundamentalism”.
“We are witnessing these extremists groups, this fundamentalism where some people pretend to be Muslim and are spreading chaos and terrorism using weapons and killing other and contributing to the bloodshed of innocents,” Dr Al Tayeb said.
Made up of one Emirati woman and 13 men – including another Emirati – the members of the newly former council come from the Mena region and the United States.
The establishment of the group followed recommendations that came out of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, which was held in Dubai in March.
“This Ummah, the Islamic Ummah, we wanted to have peace between its people, between its societies, but unfortunately this is not the case nowadays,” said Dr Al Tayeb.
“We have to ask the questions: how this is turning upside down? Why we are witnessing nowadays these bad situations after almost 1,500 years?”
Dr Al Tayeb said: “In the United Arab Emirates, we thank its leaders for taking the initiatives to launch the Muslim Council of Elders because we are all threatened by the dangers and threats of these groups.”
Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, a Muslim scholar from Mauritius, and chairman of the peace forum, said that “unfortunately, there is a kind of craziness and madness that is exercised in some Muslim countries”.
“There is chaos, people are terrorising each other in the name of Islam,” he said. “No wisdom, not rational thinking, and the result is bloodshed. Victims – and the murderer who doesn’t even know why he committed this murder.
“Given this reality, we called each other, scholars and elders – starting in the UAE – and the leaders of the UAE convened a meeting where we decided to prepare an initiative which generated later this Muslim Council of Elders.”
Dr Kaltham Al Majid, the Emirati woman member of the group, said because the council was in its infancy, it had not been determined how often they would meet or to whom they would advise.
She said they would spread the messages and campaigns on an “as-needed” basis.
The council would work with youth and community groups to spread the correct interpretation of the Quran, said Mr bin Bayyah. Misinterpretation and incorrect application of certain verses of the Quran by misinformed or misguided followers of Islam was fuelling much of the strife, he said.
“The first problem in the Islamic people is that they confuse and mix between the legitimate and illegitimate, he said.
“Here lies the problem, the people who do not differentiate between the two speeches of Islam, they are the most probable ones who can commit mistakes and get confused and mislead others.”
The council’s role would be to “set the right path” using scholarly interpretations of the Quran and spreading a moderate message, he said.
“We should work together, we are not talking here merely rhetoric,” said Sheikh Abdullah “We will work with the youth and we will address these people who are misled, who are mobilised in the wrong way. We will communicate with them. We will discuss what we believe in with them ... we want to stop the bloodshed in the Muslim countries and to establish new trends of reconciliation.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
AIDA%20RETURNS
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Poacher
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Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
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UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
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Dunki
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Results
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner No Riesgo Al Maury, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Marwa W’Rsan, Sam Hitchcott, Jaci Wickham.
6pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Dahess D’Arabie, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner Safin Al Reef, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m
Winner Thulbaseera Al Jasra, Shakir Al Balushi, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 80,000 2,200m
Winner Autumn Pride, Szczepan Mazur, Helal Al Alawi.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
