[IslamCity] Prominent Azhar Graduates Meet for First Time

[S A Hannan]

Prominent Azhar Graduates Meet for First Time "We receive requests from many countries to open Al-Azhar colleges on their soils," said Tayyip.  By Adel Abdel Halim, IOL Correspondent 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 Qayoom will deliver the graduates speech. 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. Back To News Page Please feel free to contact News editor at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest". YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS  Visit your group "islamcity" on the web.    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

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