Algeria, Egypt Deepen Religious Cooperation: Minister Belmehdi Receives Grand Mufti of Egypt

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

In a high-level meeting in Algiers, Minister Youcef Belmehdi and Grand Mufti Sheikh Nazir Ayyad underscore the importance of joint Islamic scholarship, fatwa coordination, and interfaith dialogue amid growing global challenges.

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Algiers, Algeria | June 21st, 2025 —  In a diplomatic and spiritual exchange, Algeria’s Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments, Dr. Youcef Belmehdi, welcomed on Saturday in Algiers the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sheikh Nazir Mohamed Ayyad. The meeting marked a new milestone in bilateral cooperation in the religious field between the two leading Islamic nations.

Held at the Ministry’s headquarters, the encounter focused on enhancing mechanisms of cooperation in religious affairs, with a particular emphasis on the institutionalization and harmonization of fatwa (Islamic legal opinion) issuance. The two officials agreed on the urgent need to reinforce doctrinal unity and promote moderate, balanced Islamic teachings that counter extremism and sectarian fragmentation.

The meeting took place in the context of Sheikh Ayyad’s official visit to Algeria, which was made at the invitation of the High Islamic Council (HCI). The Grand Mufti is participating in the HCI’s international conference themed: “Human Knowledge and Its Impact on Building Relationships and Achieving Peaceful Coexistence: Towards a Knowledge of Civilizations.”

The exchange was attended by several prominent figures, including Mabrouk Zaid El Kheir, President of the High Islamic Council, Sheikh Kamel Bouzidi, member of the Ministerial Fatwa Commission and the HCI, and Egypt’s Ambassador to Algeria, Mokhtar Gamil Tawfik Warida.

During the talks, both sides expressed shared convictions regarding the role of religious institutions in promoting intellectual and theological renewal (tajdid), encouraging interreligious harmony, and strengthening the moral fabric of Muslim societies.

Minister Belmehdi reiterated Algeria’s commitment to preserving the Maliki-Ash‘ari doctrinal identity and hailed Egypt’s contribution to Islamic jurisprudence and religious scholarship, particularly through Al-Azhar’s global role. He noted that joint initiatives in education, imamate training, and fatwa exchange are not only desirable but necessary in a time marked by ideological confusion and manipulation of religious discourse.

For his part, Grand Mufti Ayyad expressed deep appreciation for Algeria’s pioneering stance on religious moderation, national cohesion, and its historical contributions to the Islamic world. He emphasized the importance of intergovernmental and scholarly collaboration to consolidate an Islamic narrative that upholds peace, justice, and universal ethical values.

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