Where is Al-Azhar

As militants claim violence in the name of jihad, some wonder if the seat of Sunni Islam is talking to the wrong audience

 

By Ahmed Mansour

  On August 21, two days after a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley was released, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, launched an international campaign targeting Western media to change the name of the terrorist group fighting in Iraq and Syria from DAISH (Dawlet al-Islam fil Iraq wal Sham or Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS)) to “al-Qaeda Separatists in Iraq and Syria (QSIS).” Al-Tayeb, with Dar Al-Iftaa behind him, is arguing that the “Islamic state,” which it describes as a terrorist organization responsible for “horrific actions,” has “nothing to do with Islam, but has a lot to do with al-Qaeda.” “This is a very important campaign,” Sheikh Ali Al-Semman, head of Al-Azhar’s Religious Dialogue committee, says emphatically. “The whole world needs to know that those terrorists are not the children of Islam and they have nothing to do with either the teachings of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] or the teachings of the Holy Quran.” While many see this as a positive step toward the institution reprising its role not only as the seat of Sunni learning but also as a guiding light for all Muslims, not everyone is convinced the West should be the target audience. One critic is Sheikh Ahmed Tawfeek, a former media officer at Al-Azhar, who thinks the campaign is of no use. “For Al-Azhar to change the way the West thinks about Islam, they should do their best to stop DAISH from committing those terrible crimes in the name of Islam. Al-Azhar should be addressing DAISH, not the Western media.” Others are surprised that Al-Azhar has mobilized against DAISH while it has remained silent on terrorism in the name of Islam right here at home. Since the forced evacuation of the Rabaa and Nahda Square sit-ins protesting the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt has witnessed a wave of terror attacks that have left citizens worried for their safety. Al-Azhar’s lack of response has many wondering where the institution stands on the events in Egypt and what — if anything — it is doing to promote the peaceful teachings of Islam at home and stem growing fanaticism from within. Yet Al-Tayeb insists that Al-Azhar’s contribution to the welfare of Egypt should go beyond the walls of mosques and also should go beyond the Egyptian borders. “We are working on fixing the relationship between Egypt and the Nile Basin countries to resolve the Renaissance Dam issue,” the sheikh said in a statement to the TV talk show Al-Ashera Masaa’an. “We are also assisting President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to unite the Arabs once more.” But from within the ranks of Al-Azhar, there is discontent among the sheikhs themselves over Al-Azhar’s priorities. “I left Al-Azhar because it is managed very poorly, and I didn’t want to be a part of an institution that doesn’t resemble Islam,” says Sheikh Tawfeek. He and many others feel that Al-Azhar was in its heyday under Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sayed Tantawi, who Tawfeek says always insisted on getting involved in everything that was going on in Egypt. “I remember when Al-Azhar was at its prime; the sheikhs were always on the street talking to the people, educating them about every single aspect of Islam and their personal lives. We are the ambassadors of peace on this planet and we should do everything it takes to stop these attacks. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about Al-Azhar today. Now, Al-Azhar seems to forget its major role and responsibility to this country and to the whole world.” Others argue that Al-Azhar is making an effort, hosting and participating in many events around Egypt, especially Upper Egypt. Al-Azhar’s official website www.alazhar-alsharif.gov.eg, lists the institution’s activities organized to improve the situation in Egypt and abroad in countries such as Gaza, Iraq and Syria. But it is evident Al-Azhar has so far not succeeded in making the people feel its presence on the streets. “What Egypt is going through cannot be resolved with an iron fist, it has to be resolved using dialogue and mutual understanding,” explains Mohamed Radi Khalaf, a political analyst at the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. “The Muslim Brotherhood and all those responsible for the continued attacks on Egypt think that they are doing what Islam told them to do. What organization or institute could be better placed to fix this misunderstanding than Al-Azhar?” Khalaf believes Al-Tayeb needs to host a press conference to talk about Islam’s point of view, with evidence from the Quran and Sunna, that proves aggression is not the answer and is forbidden. Professor of Creed and Islamic Philosophy of Al-Azhar University Dr. Hanan Hassanein Ragi argues the institution is not failing in its mission. “Al-Azhar is always available, but only for those who want to see. We are taking the lead in many activities that involve educating those who need it the most. We are managing several campaigns that involve women’s rights and duties when it comes to Islam, and [raising awareness about] how uneducated men misinterpret those understandings.” Ragi adds, “Al-Azhar also participates in any event that has to do with self-development, spreading literacy, stemming FGM and so on. We never restrict those services to Muslims only, everyone is welcome and everyone has an equal right to what Al-Azhar has to offer.” et