Both branches of al-Azhar Graduates in Nigeria and Cameroon undertook an initiative to broadcast a series of videos for senior scholars of al-Azhar to refute extremist ideology and respond to suspicion circulated by extremists. The initiative was launched with the participation of 25 students and Imams in the camps of refugees and 50 Imams from Cameroon, as part of the organization’s direction to strengthen the approach of moderation and correct the misconceptions.
It is worth mentioning that the videos were for:
Prof. Gamal Farouk, Former Dean of the Faculty of Dawah and Member of the organization. He delivered a lecture entitled: “Danger of Takfir”. In the video, he referred to the negative impacts of Takfir such as dismantling the society, fanning the intolerance and hatred, and defamation of Islam.
Prof. Ibrahim al-Hodhod, the former President of al-Azhar University and the academic Advisor of the Organization. During the video, al-Hodhod delivered a lecture entitled “Al-Walaa and al-Baraa”. In the video, al-Hodhod clarified that the doctrine of al-Walaa and al-Baraa urges protecting the Ummah from its enemies since it causes love and fraternity among individuals.
Prof. Abdel Fattah al-Awary, the former Dean of the Faculty of Usul ad-Din delivered a lecture entitled “Need of students for building knowledge”. During the lecture, al-Awary said that the students need to build themselves academically, so as not to be exposed to being attracted to the extremist group. He added that the most important thing that inoculates young people from being trapped by terrorism and extremism is to follow a disciplined academic methodology, and this is what al-Azhar does to young people.
