Al-Azhar Grand Imam: We are ready to open Arabic teaching centers in Islamabad and increase scholarships for Pakistani students to study at Al-Azhar.

Pakistan’s Chief of Staff invites the Grand Imam to visit Pakistan: Our people are awaiting Your Eminence.

I am honored to meet Imam Al-Tayyeb … Pakistani students at Al-Azhar are a source of pride for us.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar is a symbol of Islam’s moderation, and his courageous stances inspire hope in Muslims worldwide.

The Pakistani people trust Al-Azhar’s methodology and follow its positions with great interest and respect.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad al-Tayyeb, received today, Thursday, at Al-Azhar, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) of Pakistan.

At the beginning of the meeting, His Eminence the Grand Imam emphasized the deep-rooted ties between Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Pakistan, noting that Pakistani students studying at Al-Azhar have played a significant role in strengthening and consolidating these relations. He added that Pakistan is a model for the advancement and strength of the Islamic mind, and that Al-Azhar is keen to enhance scientific and cultural cooperation with Pakistan and is prepared to open Arabic language centers there to serve Pakistani students in learning the language of the Holy Quran.

His Eminence also announced Al-Azhar's readiness to increase the number of scholarships offered to Pakistani students, currently 30 annually, to meet the needs of the Pakistani people. He added that a portion of these scholarships could be allocated to the study of applied sciences, such as medicine, pharmacy, and engineering, in addition to Islamic law. He said Al-Azhar welcomes the arrival of new delegations of Pakistani imams for training at the Al-Azhar Academy for Training Imams and Preachers, to hone their skills in refuting contemporary suspicions and addressing current intellectual issues.

Addressing the nation's issues, the Grand Imam stated that discussing the suffering of the people of Gaza is a poignant topic, evoking pain and sadness, as it represents a bleeding wound in the conscience of humanity. He emphasized that the time has come for the Islamic nation to unite and rally around the Palestinian cause, which has now become a global issue. His Eminence emphasized, “There will be no stability in the Middle East, indeed in the entire world, without a just solution to the Palestinian issue that guarantees the Palestinian people their full rights to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

The Grand Imam pointed out that the absence of the Palestinian issue from educational curricula in most Islamic countries has negatively impacted generations' awareness of the importance of this issue, while the other side is keen to teach its false narrative at all levels of education.

General Mirza, for his part, expressed his happiness at meeting the Grand Imam and Pakistan's appreciation, as well as the gratitude of the Pakistani leadership and people to His Eminence and to the status of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. He emphasized, “Meeting you is a great honor. You are a symbol of the moderation of Islam, and you inspire hope in the hearts of Muslims with your courageous stances.” He added that the Pakistani people trust Al-Azhar's approach, follow its positions with great interest and respect, and support its vision regarding the issues of the Islamic world.

The Pakistani Chief of Staff also expressed his deep gratitude to Al-Azhar Al-Sharif for the care and attention it provides to Pakistani students. He praised Al-Azhar's initiative to establish Arabic language teaching centers in Pakistan, noting that previous generations of Pakistanis were accustomed to studying Arabic as a core subject in schools due to its importance in understanding the Holy Quran. He also praised Al-Azhar's role in supporting applied sciences alongside Islamic studies, emphasizing that nation-building is only complete through progress in the fields of medicine, engineering, and other modern sciences.

At the end of the meeting, General Mirza extended an official invitation to His Eminence the Grand Imam to visit Pakistan, emphasizing that the Pakistani people are eagerly awaiting this visit. The Grand Imam welcomed the invitation, affirming his determination make this visit as soon as possible.