Under the directives of His Eminence, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad at-Tayyeb, a high-level delegation of Azhari scholars traveled to Italy, where the delegation members delivered Friday sermons (khutba) yesterday in three Islamic centers as part of efforts to strengthen religious and intellectual communication with Muslim communities in Europe.
Prof. Abdul Moneim Fouad, General Supervisor of Academic Activities at ar-Ruwaq al-Azhari, delivered a sermon entitled, “The Muslim in the West and Contemporary Challenges.” Prof. Hani Awda, Director General of al-Azhar Mosque, delivered a sermon entitled, “The Human Being between Time Challenges, Moderate Methodology, and Achieving Purpose.” Prof. Osama al-Hadidi, Director General of al-Azhar Global Center for Electronic Fatwa, delivered a sermon entitled, “Identity between Ethical and Religious Reference and Material Values and Social Systems.”
These meetings aim to identify the scholarly, dawah, and fatwa needs of Muslim communities in Italy and to study the preparation of a set of programs to consolidate the moderate Islamic identity adopted by al-Azhar as-Sharif. This would also contribute to anchoring values, principles, and ethics, spreading the culture of dialogue, affection, love, and tolerance, as well as promoting positive integration into Western societies.
On the second day, the delegation met with a number of senior officials in the city of Lodi, Italy, where the meetings addressed the positive aspects of spreading the culture of dialogue and tolerance. They also discussed contemporary technological challenges and their dangers to children and examined mechanisms for spreading moderate thought and Islam’s approach to contemporary intellectual and societal issues, especially those related to women and youth.
