The Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Deryan, emphasized during a special ceremony that "we will continue to strive and work hard until we emerge from our current state of collapse, especially as people have started to feel disappointed with the majority of political leaders who insist on pursuing their personal interests at the expense of the nation and citizens who struggle to secure a livelihood that barely suffices in most cases. This is amidst the political, economic, living, and social chaos, which causes young men and women to emigrate to work abroad to secure their future and to help their families remain in the wounded homeland that bleeds every day from the delay in electing a president, which is crucial for the regular operation of the faltering official institutions."
He continued, "There is fragmentation and a state of loss in Lebanon, and we do not know how long this miserable situation will continue and how we will get out of this cycle that revolves around itself without finding any notable solutions." Deryan stated, "The Sunni Muslims in Lebanon do not have a special project; they believe in the state. They are an essential component in a country of sects that we all respect, interacting without any blemish with one another, and we will not allow anyone to ignite the fire of discord among the sons of one nation."
He added, "We accept only a strong, capable state that embraces everyone, and no one can replace it in caring for the nation and citizens. The state belongs to all its sects, denominations, and groups, it unites rather than divides, preserves rather than dissipates. The symbol of this state is its president and its national government. The state can only be established by expediting the election of a president, which does not mean that electing a president is the complete solution to the Lebanese crisis; rather, it is the beginning of the solution and the key to all the crises we are suffering from."
He declared, "We affirm that the shuttle diplomacy to Lebanon to assist in electing a president will not bear fruit unless the intention of Lebanese officials is genuinely aligned in a commitment to elect a president, setting aside personal interests in favor of the interests of the nation and citizens, as the state and its institutions are greater than any other matter. If we do not help ourselves, how can we expect others to assist us? All political forces must resolve their internal options and hasten to elect a president, followed by forming a capable and effective government, so that our brothers and friends can assist us later. Otherwise, we await a solution from the envoys in vain. This is what is required and what politicians can strive for to extricate themselves from the presidential impasse and the subsequent crises, away from the prerequisites and counter-preconditions that exacerbate the difficulties in convening dialogue. Preserving national and Islamic unity is a national necessity and a foundation for overcoming the delicate phase that Lebanon is experiencing."
He affirmed, "The Dar al-Fatwa is open to everyone and cooperates with Islamic associations, foremost among them the Islamic Charitable Society and its president, Dr. Faisal Sano, a faithful individual whose religion and Islamic orientation are beyond reproach. I have known him for over forty years and have accompanied him in every work he undertakes. When he assumed the responsibilities of the association, he continued the path and lifted it to the ranks of the major institutions we are proud of. How the Islamic Charitable Society has become part of our Islamic and Beirut history, both past and present. The Dar al-Fatwa, alongside the Islamic Charitable Society and its president, is committed to supporting its initiatives and contributions to the Lebanese community. We all must support the Islamic Charitable Society and stand by it to continue its Islamic and national journey as intended by its founders, who are from Beirut."
