Grand Imam of Egypt’s Al Azhar: relations with UAE very strong

Grand Imam of Egypt’s Al Azhar: relations with UAE very strong (WAM) / 27 April 2013 The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayyib, who was named the Cultural Personality of the Year by the 2013 Sheikh Zayed Book Award earlier this month, has arrived in Abu Dhabi starting a visit to the UAE. In statements upon arrival, Sheikh Al Tayeb thanked the President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness  Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice – President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and   General Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for inviting him to visit the UAE. He also hailed “the very strong relations between the Al Azhar Mosque and the UAE” and “the intimate relationship between the two peoples and the two countries.” “These relations are reflected by projects such as the Zayed Institute for Teaching Arabic for Non-Native Speakers, sponsored by the UAE’s Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, to serve thousands of students from Asia, Europe, America and China Sheikh Al Tayeb was received at the Airport by Dr. Hadef bin Jowan Al Dhahiri, Minister of Justice, Tamer Mansour, Egypt’s ambassador to the UAE, and a number of senior officials. “In fact, the honor of being personally named the Cultural Personality of the Year by the UAE’s Sheikh Zayed Book Award also goes to Egypt, Al Azhar and the Muslim World as Al Azhar is not Egyptian but an Arab, Islamic and international institution which has been the Ummah’s (nation) guardian of the moderation of this religion for more than one thousand and fifty years now and will continue to serve the interests of Islam and Muslims,” the Grand Imam of Al Azhar said. “I pray to Allah Almighty to enable me to be up to their expectations. I am proud of this honor which I consider as an honor to the Al Azhar as an Islamic authority in Egypt and the Muslim World.” “We appreciate the support extended by the UAE to the Al Azhar as an international institution. The UAE’s contributions to the Al Azhar are countless. I thank the leadership of the UAE and the board of trustees of the Award,” Sheikh Al-Tayeb added. The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is presented every year to outstanding Arab writers, intellectuals, publishers as well as young talents. The Cultural Personality of the Year category honors a prominent Arab or international figure (or organization) for contributing to the advancement of the Arabic culture, embodying tolerance and promoting peaceful coexistence. Taylor Scott International