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Al Azhar Grand Imam meets Jokowi, emphasizes moderate Islam
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo shakes hands with Al Azhar University Grand Imam Muhammad Ahmad Al Thayyib on July 9, 2024, at the State Palace in Jakarta. During his third visit to Indonesia, the Grand Imam is slated to give an open lecture at National Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and hold an interfaith dialogue with a number of religious figures. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
T
he Grand Imam of Al Azhar University in Cairo, Muhammad Ahmad Al Thayyib, met with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Tuesday as part of his Southeast Asia tour to promote moderate Islam and interfaith dialogue.
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said that during the Grand Imam’s visit to the State Palace in Jakarta, three topics were discussed, namely the Indonesia-Egypt bilateral relationship, peace and tolerance and the importance of interfaith dialogue in pluralistic societies like Indonesia.
Among the state officials who were also present to welcome the Grand Imam were Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, as well as Yahya Cholil Staquf and Saad Ibrahim as the chairs of the country’s largest Islamic organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, respectively.
The Grand Imam’s visit was just two months before the visit of Pope Francis in September, who is also slated to promote religious tolerance in multireligious Indonesia.
“The President explained [to the Grand Imam of Al Azhar] the principles of Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,” Retno said after the meeting. Pancasila refers to Indonesia’s five principles that include the unity of Indonesia, while Bhineka Tunggal Ika is the nation’s motto that translates as “unity in diversity”.
The country’s population, which is estimated to be around 277 million, is 87.2 percent Muslim, 7 percent Protestant, 2.9 percent Roman Catholic, 1.7 percent Hindu, 0.07 percent Buddhist and 0.05 percent Confucian. Other religious groups like Judaism and traditional indigenous religions constitute 1.3 percent of the population.
Read also: Pope’s first-ever Indonesia trip to be centered in Jakarta
