HE Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif averred that Al-Azhar seeks to strengthen its relations with Japan, by admitting Japanese students to Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif, noting that Al-Azhar offers Japanese students 6 scholarships. He also confirmed Al-Azhar’s readiness to increase these scholarships in a way that benefits Japanese Muslims and enhances their contributions within Japanese society.
During his meeting with Mr. Oka Hiroshi, the Japanese Ambassador to Cairo, today, Thursday, at the Headquarters of Al-Azhar, the Grand Imam explained that Al-Azhar is open to communicating effectively with Japanese mosques and Islamic centers. This, added the Grand Imam, includes coordinating with them to hold training courses at the Al-Azhar International Academy for the Training of Imams and Preachers and to enhance their capabilities to deal with the various emerging religious and societal issues, in a way that contributes to consolidation of the values of citizenship, brotherhood, tolerance and coexistence.
HE At-Tayyeb also affirmed Al-Azhar’s readiness to establish a center for teaching the Arabic language in Japan that serves the Muslims of Japan, and to provide the necessary support to the Arab communities there. He further pointed out that this would meet the desire of the Japanese aspiring to study the Arabic language and its sciences. He then concluded that Al-Azhar is willing to sponsor the dispatching of professors, scholars, and teachers specialized in Arabic language sciences to Japan and to ensure the quality of the curricula of the proposed Al-Azhar (Arabic Language) Center.
For his part, the Japanese ambassador expressed his pleasure to meet the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and great appreciation for his virtue's efforts in promoting the values of brotherhood, tolerance and interfaith dialogue. He also expressed his appreciation for Al-Azhar's active involvement in promoting world peace, stressing that the cosigning of the historical Human Fraternity Document by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis in 2019 was an inspiring act and a source of hope and optimism around the world.
Mr. Hiroshi also asserted his country's keenness to boost the relations with Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif due to its role in promoting dialogue and world peace, and to maintain cooperation and coordination with the Al-Azhar Observatory in the areas of combating violent extremism. He added that he will communicate with Islamic centers in Japan to introduce the training courses offered by Al-Azhar to imams and preachers. According to him, this training will be useful in understanding Islam properly and protecting guarding against radicalism and extremism.
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