11.10.2018

On October 11, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the Grand Imam of Egypt, the head of Al-Azhar complex Sheikh Ahmed Mohammad el-Tayeb.

Welcoming the guest, the Head of the state noted that the official visit of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi to Uzbekistan on September 4-5 this year became a historic event in development of bilateral relations.

At the meeting, the large-scale activity carried out in Uzbekistan and Egypt on promoting the principles of tolerance, enlightenment values of the sacred religion of Islam, preserving its humanistic essence, studying religious-spiritual heritage, countering various threats and challenges was noted.

In particular, International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, and Imam Bukhari International Research Center in Samarkand are organized to bring the good ideas of Islam based on “Enlightenment against ignorance” principle to contemporaries, especially youth.

The President of Uzbekistan noted that memorandums of cooperation signed with Al-Azhar University are important in exchange of religious figures, scholars, qualified teachers and talented students.

Al-Azhar is a large official religious complex, which includes the Academy of Islamic Studies, a university, institutes, a cathedral mosque, and several research centers.

The Grand Imam of Egypt expressed his gratitude to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the warm welcome and conveyed sincere greetings and best wishes of the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi.

Sheikh Ahmed Mohammad el-Tayeb praised the ongoing large-scale reforms in Uzbekistan. He expressed full support for the policy pursued in Uzbekistan of studying and promoting the true essence of Islam religion, a broad study of religious and spiritual heritage, as well as initiatives forwarded by the President of Uzbekistan at the UN.

The guest emphasized the importance of jointly studying the invaluable scientific heritage of our great scholars such as Imam Bukhari, Imam Termizi, Imam Maturidi, Abu Mouin Nasafi, Mahmoud Zamahshari, who made a great contribution to the development of Islam.

Sheikh Ahmed Mohammad el-Tayeb noted that awarding him the title of the first honorary professor of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan is a great honor and responsibility for him.

The Grand Imam of Egypt supported the proposals on creation of a department of Al-Azhar University at the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, attracting famous Egyptian scholars for teaching, organizing preferential education for students and young scholars of the country in Al-Azhar magistracy, creating a joint Fatwa Collegium with participation of religious leaders of the two countries, as well as joint scientific conferences and other events.

The well-known religious leader expressed the commitment of the Egyptian side to the consistent development and bringing relations with Uzbekistan to a new level not only in education and humanitarian spheres, but also in all other areas.

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