Al-Aqsa preacher praises Türkiye, President Erdoğan’s effort to boost Islamic rapprochement

The head of the Higher Islamic Council and preacher of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Ikrima Sabri, praised Türkiye’s efforts Thursday to strengthen ties among Muslim countries and commended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for promoting Islamic rapprochement.

“Growing coordination and cooperation among countries in the Islamic world represented a positive development,” Sabri said in a statement.

He said he was pleased with visits and diplomatic exchanges hosted by Türkiye within the framework of strengthening Islamic rapprochement.

Sabri expressed hope that the efforts “would eventually lead to the formation of an Islamic union similar to existing international and regional blocs.”

“The Islamic nation today is closer than ever to the option of unity and harmony,” he said.

He praised Erdoğan’s role in seeking to deepen relations among Muslim countries and helping them move toward greater independence and prosperity.

Sabri also welcomed the continued exchange of official visits among leaders of Muslim countries, stressing that the issue of Al-Aqsa Mosque should remain central to those meetings and initiatives because it represents “the compass of the Islamic nation and its central cause.”

He specifically praised the current visit of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Türkiye, saying Algeria and Türkiye are key pillars in supporting the Palestinian cause.

Sabri also welcomed Türkiye’s growing ties with several Muslim countries, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, expressing hope that the efforts would contribute to stability and prosperity across the Islamic world.

Earlier Thursday, Erdoğan welcomed Tebboune with a ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara.

The two leaders held talks and co-chaired a meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the two countries, followed by the signing of agreements and a news conference.

Relations between Türkiye and Algeria have expanded rapidly in recent years across multiple sectors, driven by a friendship and cooperation agreement signed in 2006 and reinforced since Tebboune took office in December 2019.