The Concept of Human Fraternity as Used in the Document on Human Fraternity: A Foundational Study

Abstract

This research addresses the topic of human fraternity in light of the document signed by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi in 2019. The study seeks to clarify the concept of human fraternity as presented in the document and to compare it with the religious foundations of this concept in both Islam and Christianity.

The importance of the research lies in highlighting the religious roots that support the document and in showing its role in promoting the values of coexistence and global peace.

The researcher adopted a descriptive, analytical, and comparative methodology—beginning with an introduction to the document and its historical context, followed by an examination of how the document addresses the concept of fraternity, and then moving on to a study of Islamic and Christian texts that provide foundational support for this concept.

The study concludes that the document presents a comprehensive vision of human fraternity based on the principles of justice, equality, and mercy, and that both Islam and Christianity emphasize these values through their sacred texts. This makes the document an extension of divine messages, expressed in a clear, gentle, and contemporary language. The research also concludes that interfaith dialogue represents the most important tool for rooting and activating the principles of fraternity in today’s world.