Conclusion of the International Seminar on Islamic Turath and its Challenges in Malay World… Al-Azhar a Model and Reference”
The activities of the International Seminar on Islamic Turath and its Challenges in Malay World … Al-Azhar a Model and Reference” concluded at the Sheikh Zayed Center for Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers. It is worth mentioning that the seminar was organized by the branch of the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates in Malaysia in partnership with the Academy of Islamic Studies at Malaya University in Malaysia, and Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University in Brunei Darussalam during the 27th and 28th of February. The seminar was attended by the leaders of al-Azhar and some ambassadors as well as University presidents from Southeast Asian countries.
During its two-day sessions, the conference discussed various topics in heritage and contemporary studies, including creed, Islamic thought, history, preaching, Hadith, jurisprudence and its principles, Islamic economics, Sharia law and politics, Islamic financial transactions, astronomy, as well as topics such as the study of manuscripts in the Malay world, halal studies, mosque management and Islamic architecture, Islamic spiritual psychology, psychological counseling, and sustainable development.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dato Mohammad Fakhruddin, the President of WAAG’s Malaysian branch expressed his happiness, saying: “We are pleased that we have spent two full days in the precincts of Al-Azhar Sharif and meeting with His Eminence the Grand Imam, whom I thank for his gracious patronage of this conference, which has resulted in constructive recommendations.”
He added that WAAG’s branch in Malaysia is not limited only to Azhari graduates, and al-Azhar graduates. Still, it is open to all who cherish al-Azhar and its sciences, praising the esteemed status of al-Azhar, which extends its roots deep into history for over a thousand years, spreading moderation and balance, especially in the Malay countries.
The seminar’s recommendation which His Excellency delivered, came as follows:
1] Enhancing and fostering cooperation among the organizing and participating entities of the conference, as well as between the scholars of al-Azhar and al-Azhar University, to achieve the desired benefits, especially given the immense human wealth represented by al-Azhar graduates.
2] Working on ensuring the continuity of heritage conferences, while taking into consideration diversity in topics and deepening specialization equally, to achieve the best remarkable results like our esteemed conference.
3] Monitoring the intellectual, political, economic, and social challenges facing the Islamic nation, and working on studying them promptly to characterize them in terms of their causes, manifestations, and the required remedies in similar conferences in the future, so that graduates of al-Azhar ash-Sharif in the Malay world can play their anticipated and customary role.
4] Monitoring, disseminating, and translating the intellectual series issued by the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates, which are characterized by a balanced and sound intellectual rhythm, in anticipation of the extremism, terrorism, religious negligence, or abandonment that threatens the authenticity, unity, strength, and prosperity of societies around the world.
5] Intensifying research efforts in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Native speakers among the Malay peoples, from various aspects including suitable curricula that preserve the heritage firmly while modernizing it, considering Arabic as a second language. Also, focusing on the educational strategies used in acquiring Arabic heritage language, without neglecting the acquisition of the four Arabic language skills, and enriching both the student and the teacher together. This is because the key to Islamic heritage and studies lies in the language of Islamic jurisprudence.
6] To the researchers and readers of the conference book, we encourage them to provide their constructive criticism, and we welcome all valuable suggestions and ideas that will, God willing, benefit us in the upcoming conferences.
In conclusion, the President of the organization’s branch in Malaysia extends gratitude and appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of the conference with their time, effort, and ideas. Thanks are also extended to the Egyptian and Malaysian governmental and diplomatic entities who facilitated our attendance in Egypt so that the conference could conclude in this wonderful manner. Certificates of appreciation were distributed, and commemorative photos were taken.
