Al-Azhar Grand Imam expresses appreciation for Indonesian youth's support for Palestinian people

 

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, received today, Tuesday, at Al-Azhar headqurters, Mr. Lutfi Rauf, Ambassador of Indonesia to Egypt, to discuss ways to enhance joint dawah and scientific cooperation.

 

The Grand Imam said that the Indonesian students who come to study at Al-Azhar are excellent students of knowledge, and they set an example in their commitment to ethics, good manners, and diligence in acquiring knowledge. His Eminence pointed out that Al-Azhar receives more than 14,000 Indonesian students who study at various educational levels, and various faculties of the prestigious University of Al-Azhar, such as the faculty of Fundamentals of Religion, the faculty of the Arabic language, and the faculty of Sharia, or scientific faculties such as the faculty of Medicine and the faculty of Pharmacy.

 

His Eminence expressed his appreciation for Indonesia's pro-Palestinian position since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza. Indonesian support was eflected by the youth who took to the streets and squares of Indonesia in rejection of the Zionist aggression and in support of the people of Gaza and Palestine. Indonesia supports the Palestinians to defend their legitimate rights defined by religion, morals and customs and participates in relief campaigns in cooperation with the Egyptian Zakat and Charity House.

 

The Indonesian Ambassador, for his part, expressed his happiness for meeting the Grand Imam, and his appreciation for his global stances in spreading the correct image of Islam, and his care for Indonesian students at Al-Azhar, whose number reaches 14,000 students. He pointed out the desire of many Indonesians to send their children to study at Al-Azhar because of its good reputation and trust among the people of Indonesia. He added that Al-Azhar graduates in Indonesia are highly regarded within the country, and hold senior positions in various bodies and institutions, and have occupied posts as diplomats, ministers and governors.

 

The Indonesian Ambassador expressed his country's appreciation for Al-Azhar's support in launching several cooperation programs between various Indonesian educational institutions and Al-Azhar, including training imams and preachers at Al-Azhar Academy for Training Imams, Preachers and Fatwa Researchers, cooperation with Al-Azhar in the program for the training of scholars by the Higher Institute of Quran Sciences (Istiqlal Mosque), and cooperation between Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism and the Islamic State University Malang (UIN Malang) in East Java. In addition, Al-Azhar University professors lecture at the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII), especially in the ongoing postgraduate studies. Furthermore, cooperation with the Center for Development of Education for Envoys and Foreign Students at Al-Azhar in conducting equivalency tests in the Arabic facilitates the admission of Indonesians to Al-Azhar. He expressed his hope that Al-Azhar would establish Arabic language teaching centers in various regions in Indonesia.