Analyse
The statement matches the **exact wording** from the *Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together*, co-signed by Pope Francis and el-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on **February 4, 2019**. The text explicitly declares: *'To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege'* (Art. 6) and *'To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman'* (paraphrased from Art. 3’s condemnation of religiously justified violence/discrimination). The Vatican’s official website and interfaith organizations (e.g., *Higher Committee of Human Fraternity*) publish the full document, confirming its authenticity.
Achtergrond
The declaration was a landmark interfaith agreement promoting peace, coexistence, and rejection of extremism, signed during Pope Francis’s historic visit to the UAE—the first papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula. It aimed to counter global religious conflicts and was later cited in UN discussions on tolerance. The text reflects both leaders’ long-standing stances against religiously motivated violence.
Samenvatting verdict
Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb **did** sign a joint declaration in 2019 containing the quoted statement condemning violence and discrimination in God’s name, as verified by official Vatican and interfaith sources.