Knowledge is the most cherished objective, the first duty mandated by wise people, and the heritage of the Prophets. “The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not have behind a Dinar or Dirham; rather, they left behind knowledge.” It is the key to heaven’s gate “Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him.” Besides, it is the Ummah’s infallibility from astray “Allah will not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through the death of the religious scholars with their knowledge. Then there will remain ignorant people who, when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions, whereby they will mislead others and go astray.”
A thousand years ago, and even more, a lofty beacon was established in Egypt, the only country extending between both ancient continents, Asia and Africa, which are the human civilizations’ origin and the divine religions’ birthplace. Such a beacon inspires the world, especially both continent’s Arab and Muslim young people.
Needless to say, al-Azhar, is the stronghold of science and scholars. It is worth mentioning that al-Azhar is not just an ancient institute or a global university that is considered the oldest university in humanity in terms of nonstop continuous giving throughout these many centuries. However, in essence, al-Azhar is a message, an approach, and a distinguished intellectual discourse.
Furthermore, al-Azhar bears responsibility for the academic and preaching sides of Islam’s message, which is the conclusion of divine messages to all people. Islam is the message of international peace, equality, justice, human dignity, liberty from sins, and restrictions that weigh on humanity, and believes in every Prophet Allah sent, and every book Allah revealed “The Messenger believes in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and the believers; each one believes in God and His angels, and His Books, and His messengers, ‘we make no distinction between any of His messengers. And they say, ‘We hear and obey; Your forgiveness, our Lord; to You is the homecoming’” [Q. 2:285]
In addition, al-Azhar pursues Ahl As-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah’s approach to understanding this message and calling to it. Besides, it represents the thought of Abu Hasan al-Ashari and his fair articles and books, which forged a path to mental consideration with depth and moderation.
This approach is also represented in adopting the thought of Imams followed by jurists of the Ummah without intolerance or exclusion. Thus, Abu Hanifa, Malek, Al-Shafi’i, and Ahmad are prominent figures of Islam whose insights and sayings are circulated together in al-Azhar ash-Sharif in an intellectual tolerance, substantive consideration, and sincere intention searching for the strongest evidence and the most fulfillment of the Ummah’s needs in its changing circumstances and renewed calamities.
For centuries, al-Azhar has established curricula based on creating a linguistic faculty in the Arabic language and its genius secrets, then studying the Holy Quran, Sunnah, the studies serving them, and extracting doctrinal and practical judgments. I mean theology sciences, principles of Islamic jurisprudence, Quranic studies, Hadith studies, comparative Jurisprudence studies, and Sufism and ethics studies.
The moderate Azhari approach, which has acceptance in the Islamic world and also outside it, is due to the spirit that mixes practical thought and the Sufi spirit and adheres to the middle term, which reflects the authentic Islamic vision prevailing in the Islamic world, regardless of the peripheral opinions here and there.
