A high-level delegation from the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates arrived in Indonesia, led by Prof. Abbas Shouman, President of the Organization and Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars; Major General Wael Mahmoud Bekhit, Vice-President of the Organization; Prof. Abdul Dayyem Nusseir, Secretary-General of the Organization and Advisor to the Grand Imam; and Ahmad Fawzi, Director of Foreign Branches.
The delegation was received by His Excellency Ambassador Yaser ash-Shimi, Ambassador of Egypt to Indonesia; Dr. Mukhles Hanafi, Secretary-General of the Organization’s branch in Indonesia; and several graduates of al-Azhar.
The visit aims to enhance cooperation between the Organization and its branch in Indonesia, in line with the directives of His Eminence the Grand Imam Prof. Ahmad at-Tayyeb, Sheikh of al-Azhar ash-Sharif. The goals are to promote moderation and balance, maintain communication between al-Azhar and its graduates in Indonesia, discuss the branch’s strategic approach, and address contemporary challenges and how to confront them.
On the sidelines of the Egyptian ambassador’s reception of the delegation, a meeting was held to discuss the role of al-Azhar graduates in Indonesia and how to address the challenges they face. The meeting also covered the expansion of the Organization’s branch to include all regions and the importance of maintaining continuous communication between the Organization’s branch and the Egyptian embassy in Indonesia.
The Egyptian Ambassador, Yaser ash-Shimi, praised the role of al-Azhar and its graduates’ organization in spreading moderation and balance and protecting young people. He also commended the visit of His Eminence the Grand Imam to Indonesia last July, highlighting its great impact on the hearts of the Indonesian government and people.
Furthermore, Prof. Abbas Shouman, President of the Organization, expressed his appreciation for the pivotal role played by the Egyptian Ambassador in Indonesia in overcoming the difficulties faced by the Organization’s branch.
He pointed out that the World Organization for al-Azhar Graduates works to spread the moderate Azhari approach and to promote the values of peaceful coexistence around the world. The Organization embraces international students studying at al-Azhar from all countries, acting as a tributary of al-Azhar and as one of its soldiers. It serves al-Azhar’s supreme mission of reuniting Azharis and providing them with support through cultural activities, training courses for imams, preachers, and Fatwa researchers in Shariah sciences, preaching, and fatwa training. Additionally, the Organization offers e-learning and courses on teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, along with maintaining constant communication with the coordinators of its offices and branches to explore ways of cooperation between these offices and the main headquarters in Cairo, with the aim of enhancing the performance of Azharis at all academic, practical, and cultural levels
He added that al-Azhar, under the leadership of His Eminence the Grand Imam, Prof. Ahmad at-Tayyeb, extends its arms to all Muslims around the world, offering them Sharia sciences and moderate Islamic thought, as called for by our noble Islam, which is far from fanaticism and extremism.
