Abd al-Aziz ibn Uthman al-Tuwaijri
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Abd al-Aziz ibn Uthman al-Tuwaijri is a Saudi scholar, intellectual, and administrator who served as the Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). He is known for his writings on Islamic moderation, intercultural dialogue, and the engagement of the Muslim world with contemporary international issues.
Public Career and Institutional Activities
During his tenure heading ISESCO, al-Tuwaijri participated in and addressed numerous high-level international conferences and academic gatherings. In Safar 1418 AH (June 1997 CE), he delivered an address at the ninth Islamic Medical Jurisprudence Symposium in Casablanca, convened under the patronage of King Hassan II in collaboration with ISESCO, the Islamic Fiqh Academy, and the World Health Organization, to examine contemporary bioethical and legal issues including cloning, additives in food and medicine, and fasting rulings.
In Rajab 1420 AH (October 1999 CE), he took part in the symposium on the rights of the elderly from an Islamic perspective held in Kuwait, organized jointly by ISESCO, the World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, the Islamic Fiqh Academy, and the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS).
Intellectual Contributions and Reception
Al-Tuwaijri's thought centers on the principles of Islamic moderation (wasatiyya), tolerance (samaha), and the promotion of dialogue among cultures and civilizations. In his treatise Wasatiyyat al-Islam wa Samahatuhu wa Da‘watuhu lil-Hiwar ("The Moderation, Tolerance, and Call to Dialogue of Islam"), he examined these principles as foundational Islamic values essential for sound international relations, peace, security, and human brotherhood. In his 1419 AH book al-Hiwar min Ajl al-Ta‘ayush ("Dialogue for Coexistence"), he advocated for an intellectual revitalization across the Muslim world that fosters openness, constructive engagement with global partners, and cooperation grounded in shared humanitarian values.
His cultural leadership and efforts to disseminate scholarly literature across the Arab and Islamic world were commended by contemporary scholars and literary figures, including Mahmud Muhammad al-Tanahi, who lauded his active support for academic communication and cultural enrichment through ISESCO publications.
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List of Works
Wasatiyyat al-Islam wa Samahatuhu (fully titled Wasatiyyat al-Islam wa Samahatuhu wa Da‘watuhu lil-Hiwar) is a treatise addressing the Islamic principles of moderation (wasatiyya), tolerance (samaha), and inter-civilizational dialogue (hiwar). Formulated as an intellectual initiative in response to contemporary political crises, regional conflicts, and associations of Islam with extremism, the work clarifies Islam's stance against terrorism, articulates its foundational values of human brotherhood and peaceful coexistence, and compares Islamic principles with international charters.