JAKARTA: His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, met with Jusuf Kalla, former Vice President of Indonesia and Chairperson of the Indonesian Mosque Council, at his residence in Jakarta, Indonesia. The two discussed ways Al-Azhar can support Indonesian imams.

Jusuf Kalla emphasised the high regard in which Indonesians hold Al-Azhar as a significant religious authority. He also noted that graduates of Al-Azhar among Indonesian imams are trusted by the public for their balanced approach, which accommodates social developments while preserving religious and Islamic heritage.

The Chairperson of the Indonesian Mosque Council requested the Grand Imam to intensify the training programmes for Indonesian imams at the Al-Azhar International Academy for Imams and Preachers, increase the number of Al-Azhar envoys to Indonesia, and allocate scholarships for Indonesian imams to pursue postgraduate studies at Al-Azhar University.

The former Vice President
of Indonesia further highlighted the necessity for Al-Azhar to play a pivotal role in combating extremist ideologies prevalent in some Islamic countries, which seek to prevent girls from attending schools and universities.

For his part, the Grand Imam affirmed that Al-Azhar takes seriously the responsibility of preparing its graduates to meet global challenges, especially those in Southeast Asia. He emphasised that imams and preachers should be key figures in promoting societal stability and protecting it from extremist ideologies.

Source: Emirates News Agency