The story: The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, considered by many to be the world’s top Sunni Islamic jurist, will soon embark on an historic visit to Iraq. Amwaj.media has learned that the Egyptian scholar's agenda includes a “private meeting” with the Shiite supreme religious authority and a prayer at the holy shrine in Najaf. The landmark tour will also take Grand Imam Ahmed Mohamed El-Tayeb and "a senior delegation of Azhari scholars" to Baghdad, Erbil and Mosul.

Beyond the top Sunni cleric’s trip to Iraq, Amwaj.media has additionally learned that efforts are being made to set up a tripartite engagement between the Grand Imam, the Pope and a senior Shiite cleric in the Vatican later this year.

The details: In an interview with Amwaj.media, Dr. Sayyid Jawad Al-Khoei, Secretary-General of the Al-Khoei Institute and a professor in the Hawza of Najaf, confirmed that Grand Imam Tayeb will meet with Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani.

• Explaining that the exact dates of the visit have yet to be confirmed by the offices of the respective top Sunni and Shiite clerics, Khoei indicated that it will take place “in late October or early November.”

• Accompanied by other senior clerics from Al-Azhar, Grand Imam Tayeb will also meet with dozens of senior scholars of the seminary (Hawza) in Najaf.

• Dr. Khoei confirmed that the top Sunni cleric will pray at the shrine of Ali ibn Abi Talib, Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law. The tomb complex in Najaf draws millions of Shiite pilgrims every year.

Importantly, Dr. Khoei underscored that “whilst Al-Azhar is of course one of the greatest institutions of Sunni Islam, they have nonetheless made it clear that this visit is not going to be just for one component of Iraq or followers of one religion or sect but rather an opportunity to connect with Iraqis from all backgrounds, races and sects.”

The secretary-general of the influential Al-Khoei Institute also expressed hopes that “the visit and meetings [that Grand Imam Tayeb] will have will strengthen efforts across the region to combat sectarianism and promote community cohesion.”

The backdrop: According to Dr. Khoei, the Grand Imam has long “expressed his strong desire to visit Iraq." He elaborated that the top Sunni cleric “has also received numerous official invitations from every Iraqi government that was formed since 2003, including from both the Sunni and Shia Endowment Offices, but unfortunately there were many political and security obstacles that prevented him from visiting Iraq.”

• The head of the Sunni Endowment Office in Iraq, Dr. Saad Kampash, in March met with Grand Imam Tayeb during a visit to Egypt. He delivered two invitations on behalf of the Iraqi government for the top Sunni cleric to tour Iraq along with Egypt’s Minister of Endowments and other top scholars and officials.

Relations between Cairo and Baghdad have drastically improved under incumbent Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who took office in May 2020.

• Along with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Kadhimi has labored to institute cooperation with Egypt and Jordan as part of his vision for a “New Mashriq [Orient].” The vision promotes regional integration with Iraq acting as a bridge rather than a battleground.

• In June, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi became the first Egyptian head of state to visit Iraq since bilateral ties were ruptured in 1990 over Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. Sisi flew to Baghdad to attend a tripartite meeting with Kadhimi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

• Both President Sisi and King Abdullah also attended the Aug. 28 Baghdad Regional Conference, which saw the Egyptian head of state exchange pleasantries with Iran’s newly confirmed foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The context is that Tehran and Cairo have had frosty ties since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

• Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, the Chaldean Patriarch, last month stated that President Sisi and King Abdullah’s visits “are of great support for Iraq and its institutions, helping build a stable state that is capable of playing a positive role in dialogue and in the path of peace.”

The motives: Asked about the reasons for the timing of the Grand Imam’s visit, Dr. Khoei explained to Amwaj.media that “the security situation has improved dramatically,” adding that “we are perhaps witnessing the best security situation since 2003.”

• There is also a political dimension to consider. Dr. Khoei asserted that “despite all the serious challenges we continue to face, we also have relative stability on the political front.” Given that Iraq is due to hold early parliamentary elections on Oct. 10, the scheduling of the visit notably indicates high confidence in a peaceful political process.

• Dr. Khoei additionally pointed to the “historic visit of His Holiness Pope Francis earlier this year,” emphasizing that it “demonstrated to the world, Iraq and Iraqis are more than ready and capable to welcome such prominent visitors to their country and homes.”

Cardinal Sako has asserted that the current engagement is part of “a path opened by the ‘Document on Fraternity’ signed in Abu Dhabi and reiterated by the meeting between the Pope and Al-Sistani in Najaf.”

• In Feb. 2019, Pope Francis and Grand Imam Tayeb met in the United Arab Emirates. The two men signed what is known as the ‘Abu Dhabi declaration.’ The Pope later stated that the joint statement—formally titled ‘A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together’—"was no mere diplomatic gesture, but a reflection born of dialogue and common commitment."

• During his historic visit to Iraq back in March, the Pope paid a visit to the Shiite supreme religious authority. The meeting between two top clerics received wide coverage by the media and was hailed as a symbol of interfaith engagement at the highest level.

In sum, the engagement between top Shiite and Sunni thought leaders and jurists is occurring in parallel with separate dialogues with the Pontiff. As noted above, informed sources have told Amwaj.media that efforts are now being made to turn these bilateral exchanges into a tripartite engagement between top Catholic, Shiite and Sunni clerics in the Vatican later this year.

The other Sunnis: Relations between the Sunni seminary in Cairo and the Shiite hawza in Iraq are not new. Indeed, Dr. Khoei pointed out to Amwaj.media that Grand Imam Tayeb’s predecessor “even studied for a while in Najaf under Grand Ayatollah [Abu Al-Qasim] Khoei”—a teacher of Grand Ayatollah Sistani—while Shiite scholars “have also studied in Al-Azhar.”

• Crucially, Dr. Khoei emphasized, “We also cannot forget another former Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Mahmoud Shaltout, who issued a historic fatwa in 1959 recognizing Shia Islam, among other sects, as one of the valid schools of Islam.” The landmark fatwa broke new ground as Shiites had previously long been seen as heretics in mainstream Sunni Islam.

While the resurgence of the ecumenical engagement between Cairo and Najaf is promising, much work remains to be done on Shiite-Salafist exchanges.

• “Throughout its 1000-year-old history, the religious establishment in Najaf has never issued a takfiri fatwa against any Muslim or called for the exclusion or discrimination of followers of any other religion,” Dr. Khoei asserted to Amwaj.media, “Senior Sunni figures visiting Najaf has been a constant even through the worst times we have witnessed.”

• Specifically addressing engagement with Salafist scholars, Dr. Khoei stated, “Salafis are Muslim too and are recognized by Shia Muslims as such.” He elaborated, “Just two months ago, there was a meeting convened by the Muslim World League in Mecca which brought together dozens of Sunni and Shia Iraqi scholars to discuss combating sectarianism and promoting reconciliation which scholars from the Hawza of Najaf also participated in.”

• Dr. Khoei explained to Amwaj.media that the secretary-general of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Issa, is also planning a visit to Najaf “soon,” asserting that “we consider all these visits regional and international recognition of Najaf’s positive role in being a pillar of moderation and humanitarianism in the region and world.”

The future: Long a rival of the seminary in the holy Iranian city of Qom, Najaf is increasingly emerging as the face of Shiite Islam to the world. Grand Ayatollah Sistani is wielding his influence as the Shiite supreme religious authority to promote global engagement with Iraq in support of the state.

At the same time, despite the political dividends, Najaf is highly careful not to politicize the ecumenical dialogue on its part. Indeed, Dr. Khoei emphasized to Amwaj.media that “Najaf welcomes religious leaders and intellectuals from all schools of thought and religions if the goal of such engagement is interfaith or intrafaith dialogue and not a political agenda.”

There are also high hopes for religious leaders to act in unison and coordination to support moderation. Indeed, Iraq’s Cardinal Sako last month remarked that Grand Imam Tayeb and Grand Ayatollah Sistani will together “be able to contribute “to the fight against extremisms.”

To reiterate, beyond the top Sunni cleric’s trip to Iraq, there are efforts being made to set up a tripartite meeting between the Grand Imam, the Pope and a senior Shiite cleric in the Vatican later this year.