MINYA,
Egypt, Sunday, March 6, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – A cohort of Muslim
scholars, thinkers, professors, and intellectuals from 23 world
countries will discuss during a three-day international conference
different aspects of the renewal of Islamic and Arabic sciences.
“The
conference will discuss a great number of papers and researches that
deal with the issue of renewing methods of studying Arabic and Islamic
sciences ,” Dr. Ja’far Abdel-Salam, the president of the conference
and the secretary general of the Islamic Universities League, told
IslamOnline.net.
He
described the conference as a serious attempt to present the true image
of Islam, which is able to deal with all aspects of modern life,
encourages development and rejects all aspects of backwardness.
The
1st International Conference on
Renewing the Methods of Studying Arabic and Islamic Sciences,
inaugurated Saturday, March 5, at Minya University, is sponsored by the
Islamic Universities League in association with the Egyptian university.
Abdel-Salam
said the three-day event will be attended by presidents of Muslim and
Arabic Universities from different parts of the world.
Participants
will hold 18 sessions to debate the general concept of renewing methods
of studying Islamic, Arabic and human sciences.
The
Islamic Universities League consists of some 100 universities from
different Arab and Muslim countries. However, its resolutions are not
binding.
Welcomed
Approach
Addressing
the opening session, Dr. Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, the Grand Sheikh of
Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni world, welcomed the
renewal of methods and approaches of studying Islamic and Arabic
sciences.
He,
however, stressed that change and renewal cannot be accepted in the
basics and values that should not be changed such as the support of
justice, faithfulness and trustworthiness, and the refusal of
immorality, oppression, and injustice.
“What
is important is the real change and results that come into existence,”
Dr. Ahmad Al-Tayb, president of Al-Azhar University, told IOL.
“By
renewing the methods of studying Arabic and Islamic sciences we don't
aim at ignoring our heritage or past; rather we aim at developing it so
as to meet the needs of our time.”
Asked
whether renewing methods of study in the Muslim universities has come as
a result of US pressures after the 9/11 attacks, Dr. Al-Tayb replied to
the negative.
“We
have been concerned about the renewal of studying methods of Arabic and
Islamic sciences before 9/11, and we held a conference at Al-Azhar
university calling to reconsideration of educational curricula five
months prior to 9/11.”
The
US has been laying pressures on Muslim and Arab countries to change
curricula for allegedly fueling up extremism and anti-American
sentiments.
