Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Egypt, Gives Public Lecture at UIN Jakarta

Jakarta - On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Prof. Dr. Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad Ath-Thayyeb, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, delivered a public lecture at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta.

The Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar gave his lecture at the Harun Nasution Auditorium of UIN Jakarta following a visit to the State Palace, where he met with the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.

The Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, Ph.D., stated that UIN Jakarta has a close relationship with Al-Azhar As-Syarif, as evidenced by the establishment of the Faculty of Islamic Studies, which uses the curriculum from Al-Azhar As-Syarif. “Almost all of the faculty members are Al-Azhar alumni,” said the Rector.

According to the Rector, this close relationship strengthens the values of moderation at UIN Jakarta, making it one of the centers for moderate Islamic teachings in Indonesia. “Just as Al-Azhar is a center for moderate Islamic teachings worldwide,” Prof. Asep noted. The Rector hopes UIN Jakarta will continue to learn from Al-Azhar to develop true Islamic teachings that bring mercy and compassion to the universe.

Prof. Dr. K.H. Al-Habib Muhammad Quraish Shihab, Lc., M.A, an Al-Azhar alumnus and former Rector of UIN Jakarta, said that the manifestation of religious moderation in Indonesia is reflected in the country's form. “Indonesia is neither a secular state nor a theocratic state but a Pancasila state, with its first principle being monotheism,” explained Prof. Quraish.

Prof. Quraish mentioned that the second manifestation is the open-mindedness of the Muslim founding fathers and scholars during the early days of independence when they agreed to remove the obligation to implement Islamic law in Indonesia to preserve the unity of the diverse nation. “They were willing to remove the obligation to implement Islamic law in Indonesia to maintain the unity and cohesion of a pluralistic and diverse Indonesia,” said the Professor of Tafsir.

Prof. Quraish emphasized that being moderate requires knowledge. According to him, there are three different aspects often considered the same: religion, religious knowledge, and practicing religion. “Religion is perfect. Religious knowledge continues to develop, and there are differences in understanding among scholars. Practicing religion requires knowledge, and the correct source of knowledge is Al-Azhar,” he explained.

In his lecture, Prof. Dr. Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad Ath-Thayyeb called for Muslim unity and warned against Western propaganda aimed at dividing the Muslim community. He advised Muslims not to blindly follow the West and to avoid feeling inferior. “Muslims are a great community that has made significant contributions to world civilization,” stated Prof. Ath-Thayyeb.

According to the Grand Sheikh, divisions often arise from the words and writings of preachers who do not understand priorities and the jurisprudence of differences. “Those who focus on minor differences often forget major issues like Palestine, poverty, and moral decline,” he said.

The Grand Sheikh stressed that Muslims should be reminded to avoid new orientations that reject the teachings of the four schools of thought. “They create new jurisprudence and quickly accuse others of disbelief,” he added.

To emphasize this, the Grand Sheikh quoted a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad SAW narrated by Al-Bukhari, stating that a person is a Muslim if they meet three criteria: they pray like us, face our Qibla, and eat our slaughtered animals. “Such a person should not be declared an infidel,” said Prof. Ath-Thayyeb.

He urged Muslims to maintain interfaith harmony, as exemplified by the Prophet and his companions, who respected other religions. “Respecting does not mean believing. We respect others while maintaining our own beliefs,” said Prof. Ath-Thayyeb.

The Grand Sheikh emphasized the importance of action over mere words. “A thousand sermons won't solve a problem, but one action can solve a thousand problems,” he said.

The Grand Sheikh thanked the Indonesian government for its efforts to support our brothers in Gaza, Palestine, by advocating for a ceasefire and providing humanitarian aid.

The Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Yuli Yasin, mentioned that the public lecture was attended by about fifteen hundred people, including UIN Jakarta's academic community, 73 university rectors, community leaders, interfaith figures, ambassadors, and alumni of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. (Information and Public Relations Center | LP2M | Faadhila Idris)