Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb headed to Germany Sunday in a five-day visit to participate in a conference on religions, Youm7 reported.
Tayeb is planned to meet Pope Francis for the first time to announce the resumption of dialogue between Al-Azhar and Vatican after a halt of five years after relations tensed over remarks by late Pope Benedict XVI on Islam, deemed unacceptable by late Al-Azhar Imam Mohamed Sayed Tantawy.
Tayeb is also planned to deliver a speech before the Bundestag, as well as to meet with a number of German ministers and officials. He will also lead an open discussion with some Members of Bundestag, researchers and representatives of different sects.
In 2015 and early 2016, Al-Azhar Imam visited a number of European and Asian countries, including the U.K., Italy and Indonesia.
Al-Azhar, established in 970, has embarked on a mission to “correct” the image of Islam before non-Muslims and Muslims recruited by extremist groups.
