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For a September 2004 deletion debate over this talk page see Wikipedia:Votes for deletion/Talk:Al-Azhar University

What did the Keeper of the 2 Mosques in Saudi Arabia, or the Islamic Scholars at Al-Azhar University at Cairo say about this? I don't think any muftis can issue edicts that contravene the opinions of these 2. Have the 2 been consulted and want to consider confirming if this is legal in Islam? Freedom of speech? How can non-Muslims communicate with Muslims if the words that describe Islam are disallowed?

http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/penang-mufti-outlaws-40-words-to-non-muslims-1.459685?ModPagespeed=noscript

University of Al Quaraouiyine was supposedly founded in 859. Same well-grounded controversies as here, of course -- In what sense is or is not a madras a university? -- but the founding appears to predate Al-Azhar by more than a century. --47.32.20.133 (talk) 18:30, 8 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

It is my understanding that Al-Azhar University published in 1978 an opinion on Freemasonry. Some quotes from the opinion:

"Members are free to practice their religion, but only members who are atheists are promoted to its higher degrees, based on how much they’re willing to serve its dangerous principles and plans."

"It is a Jewish organization in its roots. Its secret higher international administrative board is made up of Jews, and it promotes Zionist (pro-Israel) activities."

"It has branches under different names as a camouflage, so people cannot trace its activities, especially if the name of Freemasonry has opposition. These hidden branches are known as Lions, Rotary, and others. They have wicked principles that completely contradict the rules of Islam."

"There is a clear relationship between Freemasonry, Judaism, and international Zionism. It has controlled the activities of high Arab officials in the Palestinian conflict."

This being remarkably similar to what is said in the Protocols of the the Elders of Zion, and Taxil Hoax, and being notable due to the number of Freemasons around the world (~5-7 million) I think it should be included in the article.

While this will not do for a citation, this link would shed more light on wuat I'm saying: http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2016/01/islam-and-freemasonry.html?m=1 (Chris Hodapp is a major, and credible, Masonic author)Pepe Oats (talk) 18:46, 21 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The article currently states An Al-Azhar scholar, Mohammed al-Ghazali, later asserted as a witness before the court that it was not wrong to kill an apostate. Al-Ghazali said: "The killing of Farag Foda was in fact the implementation of the punishment against an apostate which the imam (the Islamic leader in Egypt) has failed to implement."

This is currently cited to Nonie Darwish, who is probably not a reliable source. This is also contradicted by this source, page 114, that says

While he [Muhammad al-Ghazali] stopped just short of condoning Fawda's assasination, his testimony also implied that the government was operating outside the bounds of Islam...

Also this source is cited for the claim "after being accused of blasphemy by a committee of clerics (ulama) at Al-Azhar University." The source doesn't seem to mention Al-Azhar at all, so I'm removing it. Most of the discussion on who Farag Foda was belongs at his own article, not here. The only thing relevant here is the fatwa given by Al-Azhar.VR _talk 23:31, 12 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The section Al-Azhar_University#Notable_people_associated_with_the_university should contain faculty only. We shouldn't be listing every notable individual to have ever studied at Al-Azhar. If necessary a list of notable students can be forked out into another article.VR _talk 13:55, 20 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion:

• Al-Azhar University.jpg

You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 18:53, 25 July 2022 (UTC)[reply]

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion:

• Al-Azhar logo.png

You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 03:24, 4 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]