SEPANG: The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif (Sheikh Al-Azhar) Prof Dr Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad At-Tayyeb concluded his four-day special visit to Malaysia today.
He was given a red carpet send-off and walked past a static guard of honour mounted by the First Batallion of the Royal Ranger Regiment (Ceremonial Infantry) led by Captain Muhammad Syafiq Najmi Mazlan at Terminal 1 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here.
The commercial flight carrying him departed from the airport at 9 am.
Also present at the sending-off ceremony was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.
While in Malaysia, the Grand Imam had an audience with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia at Istana Negara and was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Quranic and Sunnah Studies by Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described Sheikh Al-Azhar’s special visit to Malaysia as a great honour, recognising the visit from a highly respected and revered figure in the Islamic world.
He said that Sheikh Al-Azhar was renowned as a leading scholar who had made significant contributions to the Islamic world for a long time.
The special visit by the Grand Imam, who also holds the status of Prime Minister based on the Egyptian Constitution, was held at the Prime Minister’s invitation.
