After a productive and insightful exploration of collaboration between Al-Azhar University and University Al-Azhar Indonesia (UAI), The Al-Azhar University visit to UAI continued with a visiting lecture by the Vice Rector of Al-Azhar University, Prof. Dr. Ramadhan Al-Shawi, the Ambassador of Egypt to Indonesia, H.E. Yasser Elshemy and the Rector of Al-Azhar University, Prof. Dr. Salamah Daud. The lecture was conducted in Rooms 317 A & B, 3rd floor of UAI on February 20, 2025. The room was full of students brimming with curiosity and excitement.
Indonesia Raya as A Beginning
The visiting lecture was opened with a screening of Indonesia Raya that swiftly made the audiences stand up and sing the Indonesia national anthem in unison and with heart. The vigorous singing of Indonesia Raya led us to the opening remark session.
Opening Remarks Session
The Rector of UAI, Prof. Dr. Ir. Asep Saefuddin, M.Sc. remarked on UAI’s dream to become a leading university like Al-Azhar University and how Al-Azhar University could help UAI realizing it.
Becoming a leading university that produces superior and dignified human beings who have intellectual abilities based on Islamic spiritual, moral, and ethical values like Al-Azhar University is UAI’s lifelong dream. Therefore, collaborating with your esteemed university will help UAI to reach its goal and cultivate Islamic graduates to become more internationally relevant in the working industry, research, and teaching.
The passionate speech from Prof. Asep galvanize the event and ushered to the visiting lecture session.
Visiting Lecture Session
Afterwards, H.E. Yasser Elshemy supported UAI’s dream and recalled how Soekarno dream have contributed to the world peace.
Hearing Prof. Asep conveying UAI’s dream reminded me of how Soekarno’s dream contributed to world peace. Asian–African Conference was the brainchild of Soekarno’s revolutionary initiatives to oppose colonialism or neocolonialism. Fast forward to now, all member countries of the conference have long become independent countries, except Palestine. With that in mind, I fully support Prof. Asep’s call for collaboration between this esteemed university, as Muslims must stand together, especially in the freedom of Palestine.
Then, Prof. Al-Shawi expounded his lecture wherein he warmly embraced Prof. Asep’s hope.
I’m very proud to hear what Prof. Asep has said; the name of Al-Azhar has been represented gracefully by a great man and such a wonderful university, and this causes a question to arise inside of my mind. From the thousands of students we have, why are there no UAI and Al-Azhar Islamic Boarding School Foundation (YPAI) students? This needs to be rectified with concrete collaborations between UAI, YPAI, and Al-Azhar University, this will ensure your bright students study in our university.
Last but not least, Prof. Daud underscored Prof. Asep remarks and suggested science and learning Arabic as a key to strengthen Islamic Scholars.
I fully agree with Prof. Asep, we need to collaborate and cultivate Islamic graduates to compete with the rest of the world. With that in mind, enhancing our scientific understanding and foundation, along with learning Arabic, will be the key factor to compete with world-class graduates. Learning Arabic will enable us to understand the Qur’an and to fully learn it and combine it with a strong science foundation, We will have Islamic spiritual, moral, and ethical values with internationally relevant science capacity and knowledge.
Conclusion
As Prof. Daud concluded his speech, it brought the end of the program, and it was closed with an awarding session wherein the Rector of UAI awarded Prof. Daud with a plaque. The bond between historic universities has certainly grown deeper and more concrete than ever, Hopefully, the strong statements imparted by respective leaders will lead to concrete programs that will benefit Islamic scholars all around the world to compete with the Western Hemisphere countries. Aamiin (BR).