Sheikh Omar Hashim was the voice of moderate, centrist Islam in the Muslim world

He stated: “Today we gather to honor the memory of one of the great men of the Ummah and a distinguished scholar of Al‑Azhar, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Omar Hashim.”
Jaeed added that despite reaching the highest academic positions, the late Dr. Hashim remained humble, close to the people, and open‑hearted toward differing viewpoints.
He continued: “Sheikh Hashim represented a calm, moderate Islam—an Islam that does not need to shout to prove itself, nor resort to takfir or exclusion to feel powerful. The strength of this Islam comes from its ethics, its ability to bring hearts together, and its commitment to dialogue and mutual understanding.”
The Lebanese scholar also highlighted Dr. Hashim’s balanced Sufi spirit, saying:
“He always believed that true Sufism is self‑purification and that it creates harmony between intellect, reason, and spiritual conduct.”
His view on Iran and inter‑madhhab dialogue
Jaeed noted Dr. Hashim’s positive stance toward the Islamic Republic of Iran:
“He consistently distinguished between political and jurisprudential differences on the one hand, and the necessity of dialogue and mutual respect on the other. In numerous scholarly gatherings, he emphasized opening channels of communication between Sunni and Shia scholars.”
He added that Dr. Hashim viewed Iran as a country of significance and hope in the Muslim world and believed that the real danger lies in fragmenting the diversity of the Islamic Ummah.
Continuing his path
Sheikh Zuhair Jaeed stressed the importance of continuing Dr. Hashim’s legacy:
“Honoring this great scholar is not merely paying tribute to a person; it is an expression of loyalty to his comprehensive methodology of moderation, rapprochement, and inclusive Islam. Today, more than ever, we need to revive this model—not only by commemorating his memory, but by transforming his ideas into a scholarly, unity‑oriented project that connects the Islamic Ummah across all its diverse schools of thought.”