Al-Azhar Grand Imam (GI), Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, received Ambassador Ali Abdi Aware, the Somali Ambassador to Cairo, to discuss ways to enhance Al-Azhar’s dawah and educational support for the people of Somalia.

 

His Eminence the Grand Imam stressed the depth of the relations between Al-Azhar and Somalia, pointing out that Al-Azhar hosts more than 2,400 male and female students from Somalia studying at various educational levels at Al-Azhar, from kindergarten to postgraduate studies. He also pointed out that Al-Azhar hosts a number of delegations of Somali imams for training at Al-Azhar Academy for Training Imams, Preachers, and Fatwa Researchers.

 

His Eminence expressed Al-Azhar Al-Sharif’s solidarity with the Somali people in the challenges and conflicts they are experiencing, which have hindered development and progress efforts. He called on Allah Almighty to guide Somalia, its government and people, to what is good for the country and its people, and to bestow prosperity, security and stability upon it.

 

The Somali ambassador, for his part, expressed his country's appreciation for the care that the Grand Imam and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif give to the people of Somalia, the support provided to Somali students at Al-Azhar, and the efforts made by Al-Azhar to support Somalia in its challenges against extremism and terrorism. He noted that Somalia relies heavily on Al-Azhar graduates in combating extremism and refuting the ideas of extremist groups.