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'Unfair to accuse Al-Azhar of using deviated methodology due to actions of extremists'

Sunday 28-05-2017 - 08:58 PM

Trans. Mohamed Arabi

Al-Azhar University, one of the world's oldest learning institutions

Cairo - Egypt's Al-Azhar, the highest seat for Sunni Islamic learning, which runs one of the world's oldest universities and often praised as a bulwark against extremism, has come under fire from critics within Egypt who are calling for reforms in the Sunni Muslim institution.

In an interview with Al-Watan newspaper, Dr. Mohie El-din Afifi, Secretary-General of the Islamic Research Academy, said that Al-Azhar completely disavows any links to the Brotherhood's ideology. Al-Azhar is completely against the use of religion for political ends. He affirmed that any group that lies in the name of religion is considered "Khawarij" or "Kharijites.

The word Kharijite means “those who defected from the group", in reference to the Muslims who rebelled against the ruling powers in early Islamic history.

Al-Azhar is a 'firewall' against perverse ideologies

Is religious-cum-secular education a futile experiment?

Afifi refused notion that the Al-Azhar is to be blamed for the actions of some of its former students who happened to be implicated in terror operations. For example, in 2015, investigations found out that three students were prime suspects in the assassination of the late Attorney General Hisham Barakat. Some Al-Azhar graduates were also found guilty in a subsequent church bombing. He continued saying: “Al-Azhar has always been a firm 'firewall' against perverse ideologies

Affifi denyed what has been rumored recently that the university is spawning terrorists, adding that Al-Azhar scholars are well-known as “men of moral and religious integrity. He added that a few sinful members cannot represent a majority, because every family has it black sheep.”

“It is totally unfair to accuse Al-Azhar of using deviated methodology due to the actions of extremists such as Omar Abdel Rahman or others just because they once studied at Al-Azhar. They are rare cases for which Al-Azhar cannot be held accountable for. I wonder, do we prosecute the entire institution for the perverse thought of one single person?” he said.