CAIRO,
April 11, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Up to 231 prominent Al-Azhar
University graduates from all the world over gather Tuesday, April 11,
for the first forum of the alumni of one of the prestigious seats of
learning in the Muslim world.
"The
aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the increasing demand for an
effective role by Al-Azhar scholars worldwide makes more pressing the
need for close contacts between famed graduates," Al-Azhar
University President Ahmad El-Tayyip told IslamOnline.net.
"You
can hardly find a country without having Muslims who studied in
Al-Azhar," he noted.
El-Tayyip
said distinguished Al-Azhar graduates are expected now to counter
radicals, who are acting in the name of Islam.
"We
receive requests from many countries to open Al-Azhar colleges on
their soils," he said.
Tayyip
said the graduates will be urged to try their best in standing up to
the current campaigns sullying the image of the Muslim faith in the
West and helping resolve Muslim contentious issues.
Chief
among the prominent graduates who will up show up are President of
Maldives Maumoon Abdul Qayoom and Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the head
of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS).
Qayoom
will deliver the graduates speech at the opening session to be
followed by Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohamad Sayyed Tantawi and
Qaradawi, who will talk about Al-Azhar role in serving Islam and
Muslims.
Unified
Plan
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Qayoom will deliver the graduates speech.
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Tayyip
said that the two-day get-together will come up with a unified action
plan to be adopted by Al-Azhar scholars to meet the serious challenges
facing the Muslim nation.
The
forum is made up of a number of sessions, notably: Al-Azhar Throughout
Centuries, Al-Azhar and the State, Al-Azhar's Message and Contemporary
Problems and Communication Between Al-Azhar Graduates.
Al-Azhar
has recently revealed plans to launch a satellite channel to counter
anti-Islam onslaughts and highlight the true essence of Islam as a
religion of peace and tolerance.
Al-Azhar,
which means the "most flourishing and resplendent," is the
highest seat of learning in the Sunni Muslim world.
It
was named after Fatima Al-Zahraa -- daughter of Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) -- who gave rise to the Fatimid
dynasty which governed Egypt from 969 to 1171 CE.
The
first courses at Al-Azhar were given in 975 CE and the first college
was built 13 years later.
Al-Azhar
first admitted women students in 1961, albeit in separate classes.
Also
in 1961, subjects in engineering and medicine were added to classes on
Shari`ah, the Noble Qur’an and the intricacies of Arabic language.
