KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged Muslims in Malaysia to continue to safeguard the tradition of knowledge and wisdom of Egypt’s Al-Azhar University.
He said that it should be safeguarded to create widespread awareness among Muslims in the Southeast Asian region including Malaysia.
“The modern history of Islam is not separated from the history of change and reform brought by Al-Azhar, this is integrated with the entire line of struggle and awareness of Muslims in Southeast Asia including Malaysia,“ he said.
The Prime Minister said this in a video message which was shown at the International Day of Al-Azhar celebration at the Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, here today.
Anwar said that apart from that, Malaysia enjoys a great gift because it has a close relationship with Al-Azhar and he, himself was welcomed by Sheikh of Al-Azhar Professor Dr Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayyeb.
He added that Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayyeb had also been invited to visit Malaysia and it should be taken advantage of by Muslims in this country.
“He (Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayyeb) accepted the invitation to visit Malaysia. I believe we will take advantage not only to be able to gather together with the Al-Azhar alumni but also to plan programmes that will benefit Malaysian Muslims as a whole.
“I believe fellow Al-Azhar alumni will play an important role in organising programmes which will benefit the people and Muslims as a whole,” he said.
The International Day of Al-Azhar was held in conjunction with the 1,084th anniversary of its establishment and organised by the World Organisation for Al-Azhar Graduates (WOAG Malaysia).
It was also attended by WOAG Malaysia president Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Fakhrudin Abdul Mukti and Egyptian ambassador to Malaysia Ragai Tawfik Said Nasr. -Bernama
