During His Participation in the Educational Symposium for IICPSR, AIRA Secretary General Says, “Convergence Between Religious and Secular Sciences Necessary for Achieving the Wise Legislator’s Aims”
The Secretary General of Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy (AIRA), Dr. Naẓīr ʿAyyād, participated in the educational symposium for Al-Azhar male and female preachers, which was held by Al-Azhar University's International Islamic Center for Population Studies and Research (IICPSR) in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund, with the support of the European Union. The symposium focused on religious scholars’ participation in achieving Egypt’s Sustainable Development Vision 2030 and educating the attendees about the two books titled Population Education and Family Planning and the Views of the Contemporary Jurisprudence Imams.
This symposium was attended by Dr. Mahmoud Siddiq, Vice President of Al-Azhar University for Graduate Studies and Research, and Dr. Jamal Abu Al-Sorour, Director of IICPSR.
In his speech at the inaugural session, the Secretary General said, “This meeting is an important link in a series started by the International Islamic Center several years ago, which emphasizes that Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, with all of its sectors, aims to refer to specialists in various fields when it comes to scholarly issues.”
“This meeting also confirms a number of important points, including the necessity of convergence between religious and worldly sciences. The purpose of all sciences is to achieve the aim intended by the Wise Legislator. The mufti is regarded as a signatory on behalf of Allah Almighty, and he cannot perform such role unless he is totally aware of all aspects of the issue being considered for fatwa,” Dr. ʿAyyād added.
As the Secretary General explained, the meeting has asserted that the door of ijtihad (analogical reasoning) is open, which is recommended by Islamic Sharia. Also, the meeting has shown Al-Azhar’s pioneering and cultural role, both as a mosque and as a university. The meeting has also cast light on the cooperation between AIRA and all the sectors of Al-Azhar in training and qualifying Al-Azhar’s male and female preachers.