The Voice of Al-Azhar … The Official Journal of Al-Azhar Arouses Controversy with Bold Ideas



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The editor-in-chief of Asharq al-Awsat: The print is spearheading the revival of religious discourse

The voice of Al-Azhar … The official newspaper of the Sheikh of Al-Azhar has become a source of interest and controversy in the media and in the media, because of its bold coverage and his unusual ideas. At a time when the media industry in Egypt, especially the print media, is facing many problems that threaten its survival, a debate has been held on the role of the Al-Azhar Foundation in relaunching the discourse religious. Writer Ahmed Al-Sawy has been appointed editor-in-chief of Voice of Al-Azhar, which has sparked controversy as a writer in the mainstream, as evidenced by his writings, famous for the Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm and Al-Shorouq. His journalistic experience as editor of the newspaper, which was known only in the religious sector, has been controversial, including publishing figures celebrating citizenship, defending Coptic rights, celebrating Christmas, winning women, writing books and women, and the films of a particular film and put the heroes on the cover … "The Middle East" has encountered a dialogue far from all the reservations:

> Al-Azhar Voice as a means of communication with a conservative religious institution … How did this conservative character affect the newspaper?

– is reflected in the celebration of the birth of Christ, the advocacy of women's struggle against harbadment and the celebration of films. Nevertheless, the newspaper did not go beyond Azhari.

> But some considered that the newspaper had made inroads when it was written and published on its cover images of unguarded women, which caused anger?

– The newspaper made a statement about Al-Azhar's statement against harbadment, especially its defense of women, regardless of appearance, and we wanted to translate this statement into practice by a blanket expressing Egyptian women and badociating sailing and non-sailing. Hijab, and in this issue, we were inspired by the approach of Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb, sheikh of Al Azhar and his ideas, who refuses to confuse things.

> How does the voice of Al-Azhar deal with an institution under pressure, accusations and skepticism?

"In the beginning, some of us were going to talk and build their answers or challenge the accusers, but we adopted the policy of the response by the information, especially since I consider myself a journalist who always seeks to understand Al-Azhar rather than Al-Azhar. "

> Some say that Al-Azhar uses you to embellish his image by leaving you room in the newspaper to present these ideas?

– When I present information about Al-Azhar, it is not a product, but facts that may be absent with or without intention … The idea of ​​beauty is not present, because each issue of the newspaper expresses Al-Azhar and becomes a document that expresses the scene, Any person within Al-Azhar can withdraw from positions declared in the newspaper, which in itself constitutes a gain, because the that we do in the renewal is attested by the publication and the Declaration … Thus, the newspaper "Spearhead" Azhar in the folder of the revival of religious speech, Some achievements of Al-Azhar in this file.

A cover that celebrates citizenship and defends Coptic rights by celebrating Christmas

A cover on women published unvarnished photos in the newspaper and sparked controversy

Cover of a special issue on the Pope's visit to Egypt

> Are you under pressure from the sheikh on subjects or people who are not treated?

– There is an agreement on editorial policy and on some determinants, including the exclusion of "extremists" and their rhetoric, that they are uncompromising Religious or religiously secular, and far from excesses in everything … Other There is no ban and the newspaper is open to all. He has already organized a campaign called "Ask Azhar" paved the way for a variety of intellectuals, some criticizing Al-Azhar, for dialogue with the Foundation. And to answer his questions.

> Can a religious institution with a media operate according to professional rules?

– A media can not generally succeed and guarantee durability without professional rules … and above all adhere to the norms of accuracy and fairness, separation of information on the opinion and to the & # 39; Sheltered from the language of betrayal and atonement and the spread of hatred.

> And how do you convince me of that?

– Persuasion in practice … I can tell you, for example, that Egyptian media control bodies publish an article about the press that reports numerous newspaper violations and does not include any violation of the voice of the media. # 39; Al-Azhar. Answer and difference.

> Is your presence at Al-Azhar a turning point for you that some might consider contrary to your old ideas?

– My thoughts such as they are, and all the time before and after my work with Al-Azhar, and I write about respect for diversity and freedom of religion and the right person. state of citizenship, the rejection of extremism and atonement, as well as other fundamental issues for which I have not changed my mind and that I am always expresses with the same understanding, A consolidation within Al-Azhar supports and supports it. I firmly believe that much of what is written about Al-Azhar is mainly due to a lack of information. Al-Azhar does not dispense with it.

> Who puts the editorial policy of the newspaper … Do you have a role to play in this respect?

– The editorial policy stems from the general policy of the Azhar Foundation, which aims to moderate and reject the conflict.The newspaper has a board headed by Mr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, composed of all the leaders of the Azhar Foundation. Al-Azhar and his university. In February 2017, It was important to know that it is an old newspaper 20 years old. More than a few thousand issues have been published. They were designed to be made available to the public and to express them after a period that resembled an internal newspaper reserved for the Azharis. They read it … WPA Tally does not move a finger and does not leave beyond the perimeter of the Al-Azhar impact … and I think they now have a presence reasonable in the street, and an area of ​​interest in the media and on the outside of Al-Azhar on the rise.

> Where is the newspaper between religious journals in Egypt?

– Personally, I do not see that the newspaper is religious in the sense of the known. I told you about the strategy of the Great Sheikh of Al-Azhar Media, which included two major editions of the Al-Azhar newspaper, the Al-Azhar newspaper, which applies the complete religious description and specializes in legal issues and heritage, The newspaper ignored the general problems, but from the point of view of the framework of values ​​of Al-Azhar, and interested in the interaction between Al-Azhar and his society and between him and the world , and the interest of the Egyptian citizen to deal with the reporter in a fundamental way … You can say that it is an extension of the school of religious information, A bridge over the sea ​​Between Al-Azhar and the community and a double plan to transfer the ideas of Al-Azhar outwards and from the outside to the inside: the voice of Al-Azhar does not only target the Azharis, it has also attempted to tackle society by addressing various social problems, intellectual s, cultural, artistic and sporting, in their origins.

> How does the paper deal with the paper-based crisis in Egypt and what about future projects?

– We need to maximize the number of subscriptions and increase the proportion, and develop the content so that the treatments are exclusive and not available in another form.

> What about the problem of the lack of an immediate website … or an Arabic or international version?

– We hope to launch a new website offering a larger multilingual service for the global Al-Azhar audience. This international institution deserves a better presence in the media and the launch of an international version of the Al-Azhar approach, celebrated around the world … The contents of the newspaper s & dquo; part of the goal of Al-Azhar and the Egyptian state: indeed, the entire region is the fight against terrorism, which has become a challenge for the whole world.

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