The Grand Imam Dr. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, Sheikh Al-Azhar received H.E. Nabila Makram, Minister of Immigration, who was accompanied by a delegation of young Egyptians living abroad.

His eminence the Grand Imam stated that Al-Azhar is the oldest university with worldwide influence, as there are around forty thousand students studying at Al-Azhar coming from more than a hundred countries, and they are a great force upon which Al-Azhar relies in spreading its tolerant and moderate approach. His eminence added that this approach which is based on diversity and dialogue protected Egyptians from being pulled into hardline trends and enabled them to unite as one; a fruit of this union, is the Home of the Egyptian Family.  

The Grand Imam pointed out that Al-Azhar has exerted global efforts to establish peace and security around the world, and has been keen on dialogue with global religious institutions such as the Church of Canterbury in Britain, the World Council of Churches as well as the Vatican, emphasizing that that religions were revealed to bring happiness and peace to mankind.

His eminence emphasized that Al-Azhar rejects the use of the term minorities to refer to factions in society because it is a term that carries seeds of feelings of isolation and inferiority and paves the way to sedition and division. Al-Azhar rather prefers an alternative, which is the principle of full citizenship, a principle stated in the document of Al-Madina Al-Monawara fourteen centuries ago. His eminence Sheikh Al-Azhar called upon young Egyptians abroad to blend into the communities they live in, in a positive manner, while maintaining their cultural identity. His eminence also pointed out that Al-Azhar relies on them to be ambassadors of peace around the world.

On her part, H.E. the Minister expressed her thanks to His eminence the Grand Imam for giving the opportunity for second and third generation Egyptians living abroad to meet with his eminence at Al-Azhar, and to inform them of the approach of Al-Azhar and its role in establishing the values of peace, dialogue and tolerance. H.E. added that her meeting with the Grand Imam stems from her belief in the role of Al-Azhar in overcoming extremism, and for opening the door to communication between Al-Azhar and Egyptian citizens abroad, to prevent them from being recruited by extremist groups or being influenced by destructive thoughts that target the homeland.

At the end of their meeting, H.E. the Minister thanked His eminence the Grand Imam for meeting with Egyptian citizens living abroad, and called upon them to read and do more research, and not to get their information from untrusted sources.

His eminence the Grand Imam answered several questions on current issues and listened to the suggestions and thoughts of the delegation members regarding improving communication with Al-Azhar to get support in terms of learning Arabic.