BRICS Muslim Leaders Emphasize Striving to Preserve, Promote Family Values

IQNA – The Muslim leaders of the BRICS member states in a statement underscored that, given the current circumstances, a main and urgent task is to do utmost to preserve and promote healthy family values ​​among young people.

BRICS stands for the initial letters of the names of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the five countries that initially formed the bloc to counter the Western hegemony. Iran and five other nations joined the grouping in January 2023.

The meeting of Muslim religious leaders of the BRICS member countries was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 4, 2025.

Iran was represented at the event by Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour, head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization.

At the end of the gathering, the participants issued a statement explaining their official positions on the most important global issues.

The statement is as follows:

We, the religious leaders of the BRICS Muslim countries, based on the spiritual and moral principles that call for mutual respect, brotherhood, and cooperation in goodness and piety, and inspired by the teachings of Islam rooted in the rich heritage of Islamic jurisprudence; acknowledging our responsibility before God Almighty and future generations as religious leaders to preserve and strengthen the ethical foundations of society that guarantee the well-being of the people and nations; considering the fact that the spiritual component of our peoples is one of the key factors for rapprochement within this diverse organization, unanimously affirm the following:

• The principle of unity in diversity is deeply rooted in the teachings of Islam, which state that God Almighty’s wisdom in human and ethnic diversity is a sign of His majesty. This principle reflects our shared desire to build a multipolar and united world that does not require a single system or form, but is based on mutual respect for ancient traditions and cultural, religious, and civilizational characteristics.

• We fully support the policy of alignment of the leaders and governments of our countries within the BRICS framework, as well as their tireless efforts to protect and promote the spiritual and moral values upon which human civilization has been built for centuries and the model of spiritual and ethical development is based. We reject the dominance of ideologies incompatible with human nature.

• Given the rich cultural diversity characterizing the peoples of the member countries, strengthening and deepening inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue is a key factor for continuing constructive and fruitful cooperation within this organization.

• We are convinced that the destruction of the healthy family structure threatens the future of humanity with disastrous consequences. Given the current circumstances, our primary and urgent task is to exert every effort to preserve and promote healthy family values among the youth, including through close cooperation with representatives of other religions and all healthy forces of society.

• While acknowledging the immense potential of artificial intelligence for progress in most areas of human life and for solving global problems, we call for the use of AI and for the regulation and strengthening of its usage standards to be based on ethical principles.

Strengthening our shared interest in expanding scientific, religious, and humanitarian cooperation

• We clearly and firmly condemn any form of hate-mongering, extremism, terrorism, and fascism. We also declare all forms of contempt for religions, as well as any tendencies or approaches to restrict the rights and freedoms of believers, unacceptable.

• We call for strengthening our shared interest in expanding scientific, religious, and humanitarian cooperation between Islamic communities and organizations in our countries.

To this end, the participants of this meeting sincerely thank the organizers for arranging this important and pioneering meeting and for providing their full support for it.

• We appreciate the special efforts of the governmental, social, and religious authorities of Brazil, based on the principles of humanity and equality, to promote understanding among peoples and cultures, connection between civilizations, cooperation among countries and continents, and to maintain the welfare and well-being of nations and communities.

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