Algerian Ambassador to the Grand Imam: We Support your Stances and Al-Azhar Is our Primary Reference in Religious Matters
His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad at-Tayyeb, received His Excellency Mohamed Sofiane Berrah, Ambassador of Algeria to Egypt, to discuss ways to strengthen academic and religious relations.
At-Tayyeb said that al-Azhar takes pride in its historical relations with Algeria, which were significantly strengthened by international students and al-Azhar envoys. He noted that al-Azhar currently hosts 147 Algerian students, including 26 on al-Azhar scholarships, and annually allocates 10 scholarships to Algerian students. He affirmed al-Azhar’s readiness to increase scholarships designated for Algerian students and to allocate part of them for studying applied sciences such as medicine and pharmacy alongside Islamic and Arabic studies, in a way that meets the needs of the Algerian society.
In addition, he stressed that al-Azhar welcomes hosting Algerian imams, is ready to train them at al-Azhar International Academy for Training Imams, Preachers and Fatwa Researchers, and to refine their skills in refuting extremist ideologies and dealing with contemporary issues, especially regarding women’s status in Islam and issues of positive coexistence. He also expressed al-Azhar’s willingness to send Azhari scholars to teach in Algerian schools, as was done previously, noting that Imam al-Ghazali and Sheikh al-Sha’rawi were among the most prominent Azhari envoys to Algeria.
For his part, the Algerian Ambassador expressed his happiness at meeting the Grand Imam and his country’s appreciation for al-Azhar’s status, stating “We appreciate your pivotal role in supporting the causes of the Arab and Islamic world, and your courageous positions regarding the Palestinian cause and the aggression on Gaza, and your confrontation of hate speech and the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia. Your statements and positions represent all components of the Islamic world, and we strongly support them, stand by you and support you. Al-Azhar’s voice is a strong voice proclaiming the truth, and it is our primary reference in religious matters.”
The Algerian Ambassador also expressed his appreciation for the care that al-Azhar provides to Algerian students studying there, affirming his country’s pursuit to raise levels of cooperation with al-Azhar institution in terms of increasing the number of Algerian students at Al-Azhar, intensifying imam training courses, and exchanging publications issued by al-Azhar and sharing them with Algerian universities. At-Tayyeb welcomed this and directed that its implementation be studied as quickly as possible.
