Al-Azhar University

Al-Azhar University
الأزهر الشريف
Al-ʾAzhar al-Šarīf
Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo Egypt
Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo Egypt
Established: 975 AD
Type: Public, Islamic
Religious affiliation: Sunni Islam (formerly Shi'a)
Sheikh (chief): Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Campus: Urban

Al-Azhar University (pronounced "az-HAR", Arabic: الأزهر الشريف‎; Al-ʾAzhar al-Šarīf, "the Noble Azhar") in Egypt, founded in 975, is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Sunni Islamic learning in the world[1] and the world's second oldest surviving degree granting university.[2] It is associated with Al-Azhar mosque in Old Cairo. The university's mission includes the propagation of Islamic religion and culture. To this end, its Islamic scholars (ulemas) render edicts (fatwas) on disputes submitted to them from all over the Sunni Islamic world regarding proper conduct for Muslim individuals or societies (a recent example being the clarification and thus prohibition of female genital cutting). Al-Azhar also trains Egyptian government appointed preachers in proselytization (da'wa).

Its library is considered second in importance in Egypt only to the Egyptian National Library and Archives. In May 2005, Al-Azhar in partnership with a Dubai information technology enterprise, ITEP launched the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Project to Preserve Al Azhar Scripts and Publish Them Online (the "Al-Azhar Online Project") with the mission of eventually providing online access to the library's entire rare manuscripts collection (comprising about seven million pages).[3][4]

Contents

History

The university was founded by the Fatimid Shia dynasty of Egypt, and was named after the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and the mother of the Shia Imams, Fatima al-Zahra (Fatima, the brilliant). Fatima received the title after the fact that thanks to the diligence of her holy father, the Prophet, she became a brilliantly educated woman—a rarity at the time, and a role model for the future Muslim women. "Al-Azhar" is the superlative form of al-Zahra, therefore meaning, "the most brilliant."

Studies began at Al-Azhar in the holy month of Ramadan, 975 AD, when Chief Justice Abul Hasan Ali ibn Al-No'man started teaching Shia jurisprudence using the book "Al-Ikhtisar". The university (Jami'ah) had faculties in Islamic law and jurisprudence, Arabic grammar, Islamic astronomy, Islamic philosophy, and logic.[5][6]

In the 12th century, following the overthrow of the Shia Fatimid dynasty, King Saladin--the founder of the staunchly Sunni dynasty of the Ayyubids, converted Al-Azhar to a Shafi'ite Sunni center of learning.[1][7]

In 1961, Al-Azhar was reorganised by the Nasser Government and several secular faculties were added to the university, such as medicine, engineering and agriculture. An Islamic women's faculty was also added in the same year, six years after Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah had been the first woman to speak at the university.

Magazine publishing

Since 1929, Al-Azhar has published a magazine (now monthly) whose stated mission is to publicise religious rules, subjects related to Islamic literature, and basic jurisprudence (shariah), including sections on history, biographies, translated texts, and news concerning the Muslim world.

Political views

Al-Azhar, photo of the old Mosque.
Cairo, Egypt

Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, the current Imam of Al-Azhar, has declared that the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks and suicide bombers to be "heretics" who are deviating from the true path of Islam. At a conference in Indonesia, he called on all "true believers" to deny proponents of extremist and heretical forms of Islam the opportunity to give speeches in mosques, with a view to preventing the spread of violent ideologies.

Ali Goma'a, the Egyptian Mufti associated with Al-Azhar, has also declared that Islam authorizes the thwarting and eradication of insurgents who kidnap and kill civilians in Iraq since they wreak havoc on Earth.

Sheikh Tantawy has noted that among the priorities of Muslims are "to master all knowledge of the world and the hereafter, not least the technology of modern weapons to strengthen and defend the community and faith". He adds that "mastery over modern weaponry is important to prepare for any eventuality or prejudices of the others, although Islam is a religion of peace.".[8]

Sheikh Tantawy also reasserts that his is the best faith to follow (a tenet common to proponents of many religions) and that Muslims have the duty of active da'wa. He has made declarations about Muslims interacting with non-Muslims who are not a threat to Muslims. There are non-Muslims living apart from Muslims and who are not enemies of Islam ("Muslims are allowed to undertake exchanges of interests with these non-Muslims so long as these ties do not tarnish the image of the faith"), and there are "the non-Muslims who live in the same country as the Muslims in cooperation and on friendly terms, and are not enemies of the faith" ("in this case, their rights and responsibilities are the same as the Muslims so long as they do not become enemies of Islam").

On freedom of speech

In October 2007, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, the current Imam of Al-Azhar, drew allegations of stifling freedom of speech when he asked the Egyptian government to toughen its rules and punishments against journalists. During a Friday sermon in the presence of Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and a number of ministers, Tantawy is purported to have stated that journalism which contributes to the spread of false rumours rather than true news deserves to be boycotted, and that it is tantamount to sinning for readers to purchase such newspapers. Tantawy, a supporter of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, also called for a punishment of eighty lashes to "those who spread rumors" in an indictment of speculation by journalists over Mubarak's ill health and possible death.[9][10] This is not the first time that he has criticized the Egyptian press regarding its news coverage nor is it the first time he in return has been accused by the press of opposing freedom of speech. During a religious celebration in the same month, Tantawy released comments alluding to "the arrogant and the pretenders who accuse others with the ugliest vice and unsubstantiated charges". In response, Egypt's press union issued a statement suggesting that Tantawy appeared to be involved in inciting and escalating a campaign against journalists and freedom of the press.[11]

Notable persons associated with the university

Al-Azhar University has had a huge impact on the religious, cultural and political arena in Egypt, the Middle East, and the whole Islamic world

1800 - early 1900s

1910-1950s

1950-

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Britannica article
  2. ↑ Alatas, Syed Farid, 2006. From jami`ah to university: multiculturalism and Christian–Muslim dialogue, Current Sociology 54(1):112-32
  3. ↑ AME Info.com, 26 September 2005, [1]
  4. ↑ ITEP press release, 10 October 2006
  5. ↑ Alatas, Syed Farid, "From Ja¯mi`ah to University: Multiculturalism and Christian–Muslim Dialogue", Current Sociology 54 (1): 112-32 
  6. ↑ Goddard, Hugh (2000), A History of Christian-Muslim Relations, Edinburgh University Press, p. 99, ISBN 074861009X 
  7. ↑ Encyclopedia Britannica p.37 1993 edition ISBN 0852295715
  8. ↑ "The Grand Imams of Al-Azhar". Retrieved on 2006-06-24.
  9. ↑ allheadlinenews.com
  10. ↑ aljazeera.net(Arabic Online)
  11. ↑ International Herald Tribune
  12. ↑ David D. Laitin, Politics, Language, and Thought: The Somali Experience, (University Of Chicago Press: 1977), p. 102

External links