Muslims should not allow West to 'dictate' true meaning of Islam: VP al Azhar University

Mahmood Ahmed Hashim says there is urgent need to present true essence of Islam to west

Vice President (VP) of al Azhar University in Egypt, Mahmood Ahmed Hashim, has said that Muslims cannot allow the west to dictate the meaning of Islam to them, according to Express News.

Talking to reporters at an invitational event in Karachi Press Club, Hashim sought to inform the local audience about the historical significance of the Egyptian institute in his speech.

"al Azhar University has been faithfully serving and guiding the Muslim community worldwide for the past thousand years," he told the media personnel present on the occasion.



The vice president also spoke about the need to reform the image of Islam on the international stage, especially so because terrorists were bent on trying to shift the narrative away from the message of peace.

"Some elements associate the menace of terrorism with Islam only to defame the latter. We cannot accept or allow westerners to interpret Islam for us," he stressed.



"There is a need to present the true essence of our religion to western nations," he added.

The Egyptian scholar noted that he had come to Pakistan with a message of love.

"Powerful groups in the world want to divide the Muslim community. Efforts in this regard are already underway in the Middle East," Hashim said in reference to the current social and political turmoil in Arab nations.