Al-Azhar Grand Imam: We were raised on a close relationship with reading since our high school years.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad al-Tayyeb received Dr. Karma Sami, President of the National Center for Translation, and her accompanying delegation at Al-Azhar headquarters. The meeting was attended by Dr. Khaled Abdel Latif, Executive Director of Al-Azhar Center for Translation. The two sides discussed ways to enhance mutual cooperation. The Grand Imam emphasized the need to revive the love of reading among young people, saying, “When we were high school students, we would read a new book published by the Ministry of Culture every two weeks. In addition to our regular education, we grew up with a close relationship with reading Arabic and translated books, such as ‘Geniuses of Western Thought,’ ‘The Cultural Library,’ ‘Al-Risala Magazine,’ and other publications."

His Eminence pointed out the importance of translating Islamic publications that promote the moderation of Islam and its correct approach, emphasizing that the Islamic library is filled with numerous books and cultural treasures that have been translated into several languages and deserve to be reprinted and republished. Such a book, Islam: Doctrine and Law, by Sheikh Mahmud Shaltut, the former Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, has been translated by Al-Azhar into seven languages, given its importance and the wealth of knowledge it contains.

Dr. Karma Sami expressed her happiness at meeting the Grand Imam and her appreciation for his efforts in spreading the culture of tolerance and coexistence. She praised the level of cooperation between the National Center for Translation and Al-Azhar Center for Translation, and activating the cooperation protocol signed between them. This protocol includes exchanging publications and joint publishing, holding joint seminars and conferences, issuing a specialized magazine on translation, in addition to translation from Arabic into European, Asian, and African languages, cooperation in developing translation teaching curricula and exchanging trainers, and encouraging joint scholarly research in this field.