President of Al-Azhar University: Education is an essential pillar of sustainable development in the Islamic world
The President of Al-Azhar University, Dr. Salama Daoud, stressed the importance of education as a major factor in achieving progress and sustainable development in all aspects of life… stressing that science has a lofty status in Islam, in keeping with the words of God Almighty: “God will raise up those who believe among you and those who have been given “Knowledge has degrees” (Al-Mujadila: 11), explaining that knowledge and faith are the basis of elevation and progress, and that they are inseparable companions.
This came in a speech by the President of Al-Azhar University today during the opening of the International Conference on Contemporary Education in the Islamic World, which It was held at Sultan Ahmad Shah Masoud Islamic University in the state of Bhang, Malaysia, under the title “Contemporary education is the basis of sustainable development in the Islamic world.”
The President of Al-Azhar University said that the university is committed to spreading science and knowledge, and promoting tolerant Islamic values, pointing out The university continues its civilizational and reform path, taking the Holy Qur’an and the Noble Prophet’s Sunnah as its approach.
He stressed the need for concerted efforts to develop education in the Islamic world in a way that contributes to achieving sustainable development and strengthens the position of the Islamic nation in the world, stressing Education is the key to the future, and it is the responsibility of everyone, governments, peoples and institutions, calling for serious work to build advanced and prosperous Islamic societies.
The President of Al-Azhar University, in his speech, expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Sultan Ahmad Shah University in Bahhang. In Malaysia; For its kind invitation to participate in this important conference, he praised Malaysia as a generous country that raised the slogan of Islam and science, and believed that the renaissance of education is the path to the country’s renaissance and progress, stressing that Malaysia has achieved a comprehensive renaissance that has become a set of examples, and has marched on the path of dawn in the country, so that we are invited today to discuss this. The distinguished topic is “Contemporary education is the basis of sustainable development in the Islamic world.”
He stressed the importance of holding this conference, pointing out that there is only one way for the advancement, progress, and renaissance of the Islamic world, which is to produce knowledge and not live dependent on what it is. Produced by other minds, explaining that sustainable development in the field of education is based on building an educated person. Because the educated person is the creator of development, and he is the one who, if he is good, everything is good, and if he is corrupt, everything is corrupt. Dr. Salama Dawoud called for our eyes to be focused on raising our generations to be better than us… reviewing his experience in university administration, and his focus on promoting science and scientific research, indicating that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif pays great attention to spreading and developing knowledge.
He explained that one of the most important initiatives of Al-Azhar University is the formation of active scientific councils in various departments concerned with reading and studying various sciences, and contribute to spreading the culture of science among students and faculty members, noting that the university encourages the formation of research groups that work on pioneering scientific projects that contribute to raising the status of The university is enhancing its scientific progress.
The university president pointed out that one of the most prominent of these projects is “Al-Azhar University’s Encyclopedia of the Noble Prophet’s Hadith.” In which an elite group of senior hadith scholars from inside and outside the university participate, and it aims to produce ten thousand authentic hadiths in text and chain of transmission, pointing out that the committee has so far completed more than seven thousand hadiths, and has included more than one hundred and fifty corrections in all editions of Sahih Imam al-Bukhari.
He added that among this encyclopedic work, which is carried out by committees and not undertaken by a single individual, is the encyclopedia: (Secrets of the Diversity of Recitations in the Holy Qur’an), and that the College of the Holy Qur’an at Al-Azhar University has discussed about twenty doctoral dissertations in this project. Now these twenty treatises are being revised, shortened and refined, and work is being done to produce them to be the first encyclopedia that deals with all Qur’anic readings with comprehensive analysis.
He stressed that Al-Azhar University did not limit its interests to the Arabic and Sharia sciences, but rather was keen to combine them with the practical sciences. Such as: medicine, pharmacy, engineering, agriculture, and commerce. He gave an example of this with the experience of Al-Azhar University in teaching the subject of Islamic jurisprudence to students of medical colleges, where the subject was printed in the nature of medicine, which led to the emergence of a new jurisprudence with a flavor of medicine, that addresses the important issues it is exposed to. The doctor pointed out that the university also applies this approach in other colleges, such as: the College of Commerce; Where the subject of Islamic jurisprudence was printed in a commercial nature.
The president of the university stated that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif does not live by singing about the glories of the past, but rather adds something new to it every day, and continues its path of development and innovation, pointing to some recent achievements; Such as: establishing “Al-Azhar Observatory” To monitor extremist thought, and the spread of the “Al-Azhari Corridor” Throughout Egypt, it is non-formal education based on memorizing the Holy Qur’an for children and adults and teaching Arabic and Islamic sciences, and more than 40 scholars at Al-Azhar University are on the list of the top 2% of the world’s most influential scholars in all scientific fields, according to the American Stanford report.
He stressed that Al-Azhar plays a pivotal role in spreading science and knowledge and promoting tolerant Islamic values, citing a speech by His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali in which he said: “Al-Azhar is a manufacturer of medicines for the nation’s ills. If the medicines that the factory exports are adulterated, the ills will remain multiplied.” ; Therefore, caring for Al-Azhar Al-Sharif was part of caring for religion. The President of Al-Azhar University concluded his speech with a quick overview of the foundations of educating the scholar and the learner in Islamic civilization, stressing that building each of them strong is the way to achieve sustainable development in education, explaining that raising generations to be highly motivated and raising them to love science and research are two main foundations for success. Pointing to some examples from Islamic history that embody these foundations
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