On behalf of President El-Sisi, the Prime Minister honors pioneer figures of renewal in Al-Azhar Conference on renovation of Islamic thought.
On behalf of H.E. President ‛Abdel Fattāḥ El-Sisi, Prime Minister Eng. Mustafa Madbouly honored three of the most prominent late Muslim scholars. The honor came in appreciation of their great efforts in the service of Islam, renewal of thought and promotion of tolerance of Islam. This was done on behalf of President ‛Abdel Fattāḥ El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, during Al-Azhar International Conference on Renovation of Islamic Thought.
On top of the honorees came the late Sheikh Muḥammad Muṣṭafa Al Marāghῑ, may Allah rest his soul in peace. Al Marāghῑ was the eighth Grand Imam, who took his office as the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in 1928. He is considered one of the most prominent figures of Egypt and the Muslim Nation, who formed its laws and its legislative, juristic and national path. He authored many books, most notably: The Message of Human Fellowship, and Friends of Allah versus Distanced People. Sheikh Al-Marāghī died in 1945.
The Prime Minister also honored the late Sheikh Muṣṭafa ‛Abdul Razzāq, may Allah rest his soul in peace. Sheikh ‛Abdul Razzāq was the tenth Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. He was a prominent thinker a man of letter, and a scholar of Islamic theology and jurisprudence. He is one of the most prominent reformers of Islamic philosophy in the modern era, and the first author on the history of philosophy in Arabic. He published many books, most remarkably: An Introduction to the History of Philosophy, and Faith and Revelation in Islam. Sheikh ‛Abdul Razzāq died in 1947.
The celebration included honoring the late Sheikh Maḥmoud Shaltout, the first to be titled, “Grand Imam”. Scholars call him “The Imam of Reconciliation” as he drew Islamic schools of thought loser. He took his office as the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in 1958. He was the first to introduce the study of modern applied sciences to Al-Azhar. Additionally, the four schools of jurisprudence began to be taught during his office. Before his death, he issued Al-Azhar Development Law in 1961. Grand Imam Shaltout died in 1963.
Al-Azhar holds this conference on Monday and Tuesday, January 27-28, 2020, under the auspices of H.E. President ‛Abdel Fattāḥ El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the presence of a group of senior political leaders and prominent religious figures of the world, as well as representatives of the Ministries of Endowments, Fatwa Houses and Islamic Councils from 46 countries of the Muslim world. The themes of the conference focus on the frameworks of the conception of renewal and its mechanisms, refuting misconceptions, handling women and family issues, and addressing the role of international religious and academic institutions in renewing Islamic thought.