Al-Azhar Grand Imam Receives Crown Prince of Fujairah
Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, received His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, on Wednesday at Al-Azhar in Cairo.
The Grand Imam warmly welcomed the Crown Prince and his accompanying delegation, emphasizing the deep-rooted ties between Al-Azhar and the United Arab Emirates under the leadership of his brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.
His Eminence commended the Emirate of Fujairah for its efforts in promoting the Arabic language and preserving traditional Arab arts such as calligraphy and poetry.
For his part, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi expressed his great honor and pleasure in meeting the Grand Imam, praising His Eminence's pivotal role in spreading the true teachings of Islam, promoting a culture of tolerance, dialogue, and human fraternity, and fostering peaceful coexistence among people of all backgrounds.
The Crown Prince stated, 'We always look forward to your pioneering role in advancing global peace. Al-Azhar is our foremost religious, moral, and spiritual authority, and Your Eminence holds a special place in the hearts of the leadership and people of the United Arab Emirates.'
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Yet only sustained resistance by faculty, students, alumni, and the broader public can defend higher education's essential role in a free society. The Trump administration's vendetta against American universities, sparked by pro-Palestinian protests, threatens to dismantle the very principles that have made US higher education a global model. The assault on dissent, the coercion of scholars, and the policing of speech must be recognised for what they are: an attack not only on universities, but on democracy itself. The survival of both now rests on whether those under siege choose silence — or resistance. Dr. Marwa El-Shinawy – Academic and Writer
