The Indonesian President Joko Widodo welcomed His Eminence Prof. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, at the Merdeka Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed ways to enhance cooperation between Indonesia and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.
President Widodo emphasized the great love and respect the Indonesian people has for the Grand Imam, stating that Al-Azhar is the primary reference for Indonesian Muslims in Islamic and Arabic sciences. Indonesia seeks to increase the number of Indonesian students studying at Al-Azhar, as they play a vital role in protecting the country's youth from extremist ideologies.
The President expressed Indonesia's desire to strengthen ties with Al-Azhar, particularly in training imams and preachers at the Al-Azhar Global Academy and establishing cooperation protocols between Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism (AOCE) and relevant Indonesian centers. He also praised Al-Azhar's efforts in combating extremism and expressed his happiness at establishing a regional office of the Muslim Elders Council in Indonesia.
On his part, the Grand Imam expressed his happiness at visiting Indonesia for the third time and his gratitude for the warm reception. He commended President Widodo's leadership and his efforts to guide Indonesia’s onward march towards progress and development. Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the Grand Imam said, is committed to meeting Indonesia’s needs by increasing student exchanges, training courses for imams, and establishing Arabic language centers in the country.
The Grand Imam also emphasized the importance of international efforts to stop the aggression on Gaza and the need for Arab and Muslim solidarity. He appreciated Indonesia’s support for Gaza through humanitarian aid convoys in cooperation with Al-Azhar.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides, including the Egyptian Ambassador to Indonesia, Al-Azhar scholars, and Indonesian ministers.