The World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates launched the “Preparing the Contemporary Preacher and Deconstructing Extremist Thought” training course in cooperation with al-Azhar International Academy for Training Imams and Preachers, dedicated to imams and preachers from Pakistan.
The multi-day course covers a number of scholarly and qualifying topics aimed at promoting the moderate approach, correcting misconceptions, and developing the jurisprudential and preaching skills of the participants.
During his opening remarks, Prof. Abdul Dayyem Nosseir, the Organization’s Secretary-General, welcomed the Pakistani imams and preachers to their second homeland, Egypt, wishing them every success.
He pointed out that this course comes within the framework of al-Azhar al-Sharif’s interest in preaching work to spread the true essence of Islam and combat extremism, especially in light of current challenges and complex issues that require intellectual effort to refute extremist ideas and expose the fallacies of militants. He emphasized that the true Islamic thought is the one that builds civilizations and leads humanity toward progress and prosperity.
On his part, Dr. Aziz Mahmoud, Head of the Organization’s branch in Pakistan, said: “Our joy is indescribable at being among the scholars of al-Azhar al-Sharif, which is the fortress of moderation, and we are in urgent need of such courses to convey the true essence of Islam according to the fundamentals of al-Azhar’s moderate approach.
The course proceedings began with a lecture by Prof. Hassan al-Saghir, President of the al-Azhar International Academy for Training Imams and Preachers, themed “The Jurisprudential Formation of the Preacher and How to Employ Jurisprudential Discourse in Preaching. During the lecture, he reviewed several themes aimed at building the mindset of the contemporary preacher and how to deal with emerging issues from a sound jurisprudential perspective.
