Gambiaj.com – (Cairo, Egypt) – In a meeting at Al-Azhar headquarters, Dr. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, welcomed Mamadou Tangara, Gambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, to discuss strengthening religious and educational support for Gambian students and communities.

Reaffirming the historic ties between Al-Azhar and Gambia, the Grand Imam expressed readiness to boost scholarships for Gambian students, ensuring these align with the country’s societal needs.

He also pledged to train Gambian imams at Al-Azhar’s International Academy for Training Imams and Preachers, equipping them with skills to address contemporary challenges, including promoting coexistence, defending women’s rights, and combating extremist distortions of Islamic teachings.

During their discussions, Dr. At-Tayyeb condemned what he described as “the worst genocide and ethnic cleansing” being endured by the Palestinian people for nearly two years. He said,

“The Zionist entity has committed horrific massacres in modern history, killing innocent children, women, the elderly, and youth, and destroying hospitals, mosques, churches, and schools. This entity has shown itself to be utterly against humanity.”

Minister Tangara, expressing his pleasure at meeting the Grand Imam, commended Al-Azhar’s efforts to promote the true image of Islam and its longstanding support for Gambian students.

“We appreciate your generous support to our students at Al-Azhar and to our country through the Al-Azhar Arabic Language Center in Gambia, from which 60 students have already graduated,” he said.

He highlighted the deep respect Gambians hold for Al-Azhar and its role in shaping moderate Islamic teachings.

“You may consider me Al-Azhar’s ambassador in Gambia and within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which we currently chair,” Tangara stated. He pledged to personally follow up on the initiative to train Gambian imams upon his return to Banjul.