Category: Front Page

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has released the seventh issue of its quarterly cultural magazine, published under the supervision of the Organization’s Poetry and Literature Center. The issue features a collection of articles, studies, and interviews addressing a range of intellectual, literary, and cultural issues in the Islamic world.

The issue includes a special section devoted to the theme “The Arabic Language and the Questions of Knowledge Identity,” featuring a selection of articles and perspectives that examine the current state of the Arabic language, its future, and its relationship to knowledge production. The section also addresses the Arabization of the sciences, linguistic diplomacy and its cultural and civilizational roles, as well as analyses of the Arabic language’s current situation, the challenges it faces, and the richness and flexibility it embodies.

In the issue’s first interview, the magazine hosts Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, in a discussion exploring the contours of the next phase and the Organization’s future priorities following the unanimous renewal of his mandate for an additional six years by the Member States. The interview highlights the key orientations and visions guiding ICESCO’s efforts to strengthen its presence, expand its impact, and consolidate its partnerships in education, science, culture, and communication.

The issue also features a variety of topics, including the celebration marking ten million visitors to the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization; an article by Dr. Ali Daher, Ambassador of the Lebanese Republic to the Kingdom of Morocco, on ICESCO’s goals and their relevance to the Lebanese cultural experience; and an article titled “When the Camera Becomes a Wing” by poet and journalist Yassin Adnan. In addition, it includes an article by Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, former Secretary-General of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association, on the contributions of Arab and Muslim scientists to the foundations of modern chemistry. The issue also presents an interview with Iraqi poet Dr. Arif Al-Saadi on his poetic experience, his vision of the Arab cultural scene, and the transformations of contemporary poetry, alongside an interview with education expert Dr. Mohammed Derrij on the state of education in the Islamic world.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a cultural symposium titled “Artists and Civic Engagement” as part of the seventh session of the “Artists of the World, Guests at ICESCO” program. The event featured the participation of the Moroccan composer Dr. Nabil Benabdeljalil, the Tunisian playwright Raouf Ben Yaghlane, and the Moroccan academics Dr. Bouazza Benachir and Dr. Abdelillah Krim.

The hybrid symposium, held on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, opened with remarks by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture Sector. He explained that the event focuses on the role of intellectuals and the commitment of artists in the Islamic World, in light of the role of authentic cultures that seek to promote the mission of art as a driver of aesthetic and creative societies in Member States.

Dr. Bouazza Benachir, professor at Mohammed V University in Morocco, emphasized the importance of the artist’s connection to reality and society as an agent and producer of knowledge and thought, conscious of their society’s realities, aspirations, history, and concerns.

For his part, Dr. Nabil Benabdeljalil noted the sensitivity surrounding artists and art throughout Islamic history, highlighting contemporary issues in the arts, including conceptual challenges resulting from the disconnect between art and thought, as artists—even when they are intellectuals and scholars—are not invited to intellectual and social forums to share their views.

In his presentation, Dr. Abdelillah Krim, professor at Ibn Tufail University in Morocco, highlighted the rise of public square theater and its role in representing communities. He also drew attention to theater’s social role in confronting racism, citing the example of California Theater. He added that other schools employ art and culture in different ways, such as the Frankfurt School, which discusses culture and art as means of controlling the masses.

For his part, Raouf Ben Yaghlane called on artists to constantly strive to cultivate aesthetic, intellectual, and civic values that raise individuals’ awareness of culture and its essential creative and societal role as an inherent foundation of human existence. He added that culture shapes citizenship, consciousness, and human presence.

Dr. AlMalik Announces Initiative to Establish International Imam Al-Bukhari Association to Promote the Imam’s Status and His Contributions to Scholarly and Humanistic Awareness

On Thursday, 9 July 2026, the proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, “Imam Al-Bukhari’s Al-Jami’ As-Sahih: The Book of the Ummah,” held under the patronage of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan, concluded with the issuance of the Samarkand Declaration and a set of recommendations. The Declaration affirmed that the Prophet’s Sunnah is the second source of legislation after the Holy Quran and that the two are inseparable. It called for the establishment of the science of hadith history and encouraged researchers to study the various types of hadith and refute the claims made by some regarding the Prophet’s hadiths.

The Declaration of the Conference, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in partnership with the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent and the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, also emphasized the importance of renewing the methodology of hadith studies and adopting the historical approach to counter arguments with evidence. It further pointed out that the study of the noble hadith goes beyond merely examining its legislative aspects to highlight the civilizational values embodied in the religious text.

The Conference’s outcomes and operational recommendations, presented by Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, during the closing session, included the launch of the “Al-Bukhari Route” under the patronage of the President of Uzbekistan. The initiative aims to highlight the cultural and scholarly exchanges resulting from the circulation of Sahih Al-Bukhari across the major centers of the Islamic world. The recommendations also proposed holding a biennial international conference dedicated to a leading figure of Islamic civilization, with the next conference devoted to Imam Muslim and his Sahih.

The recommendations included launching the International Al-Bukhari Award; publishing a scholarly encyclopedia on Imam Al-Bukhari, his teachers, his students, and his book; establishing a network of universities, institutions, and scholarly institutes dedicated to teaching Sahih Al-Bukhari; producing a documentary film on the life of Imam Al-Bukhari; publishing a book chronicling his journey in pursuit of knowledge and the collection of hadith; as well as a booklet containing the Prophet’s hadiths in the Sahih that address noble moral values.

The recommendations further called for the creation of a digital platform to monitor and track both positive and negative publications regarding Sahih Al-Bukhari and to provide scholarly responses to them, as well as the establishment of a scientific institute within the Imam Al-Bukhari Complex in Samarkand, in coordination with the ICESCO Office at the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent, dedicated to promoting a deeper understanding of the Prophet’s Hadith and Sunnah.

At the close of the Conference, Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, expressed his deepest gratitude to His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his patronage of the Conference and for his efforts to preserve and promote the heritage of the Islamic world and its prominent figures. In addition, Dr. AlMalik announced an initiative to establish the International Imam Al-Bukhari Association, in cooperation with the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent, to serve as a global scholarly platform dedicated to preserving Imam Al-Bukhari’s legacy, cementing his standing in scholarly and humanistic awareness, and advancing specialized studies on his life, methodology, and civilizational contributions in service of the noble Sunnah of the Prophet.

Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayyad, Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Chairman of the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, participated in the international scientific conference, “Imam Al-Bukhari’s Al-Jami‘ As-Sahih: The Book of the Ummah,” organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent and the Imam Bukhari International Scientific-Research Center, under the patronage of His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In a speech delivered on Thursday, 9 July 2026, during a scientific session on Imam Al-Bukhari, the Grand Mufti affirmed that revisiting the Imam’s legacy in his homeland holds profound scholarly and civilizational significance, reflecting a deep connection to the scholars who dedicated their lives to upholding the noble Prophetic Sunnah. He emphasised that Sahih Al-Bukhari is not just a book studied in academic circles, but a universal heritage and a comprehensive intellectual framework.

Dr. Ayyad explained that “Al-Jami‘ Al-Musnad As-Sahih” was not simply a compilation of hadiths, but a practical manifestation of the civilization of isnad (chain of transmission) and documentation that distinguished the Islamic world, which built knowledge on verification, critique, and rigorous scholarship rather than the mere transmission of reports. He added that celebrating Sahih Al-Bukhari is a celebration of a scientific methodology that has contributed to consolidating a culture of documentation, preserving knowledge, and safeguarding the sources of Islamic law throughout the centuries.

Regarding the doubts raised about Sahih Al-Bukhari, the Grand Mufti emphasized that they fundamentally challenge the Prophetic Sunnah and its legislative authority, calling on scholars and institutions across the Muslim world to present this heritage in a contemporary language and clarify its methodological foundations through argument and evidence.

In conclusion, Dr. Ayyad commended the efforts of ICESCO and Uzbekistan in reviving the legacy of Imam Al-Bukhari and promoting the study of his work through conferences, research, verification, and publication.

Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, Advisor at the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Member of the Council of Senior Scholars, and Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, stated that Imam Al-Bukhari charted a unique methodology in the field of hadith scholarship, characterized by meticulous investigation, verification, and scrutiny, enabling him to present his Sahih collection to the Muslim Ummah. He stressed that no matter how hard detractors may try to undermine it or cast doubt on its authenticity, they will never attain their aim.

He made these remarks during his address at the opening session of the International Conference, “Al-Jami’ al-Musnad As-Sahih by Imam al-Bukhari: The Book of an Ummah,” held on Thursday, 9 July 2026. The conference is organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Samarkand, in partnership with the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the Imam Al-Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, under the patronage of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid added that the great imam recognized at an early stage the significance of the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He devoted himself diligently until he produced the most authentic book after the Holy Quran, thereby demonstrating that success is neither accidental nor a matter of chance but, after the grace of Allah, the result of awareness, perseverance, and unwavering determination.

He called for following Imam Al-Bukhari’s model in education and upbringing to nurture new generations capable of confronting the challenges of today’s world. Moreover, he noted that the esteemed imam is among the leading figures of the Islamic world whose knowledge left a lasting impact and whose efforts were dedicated to preserving, safeguarding, and promoting the Prophet’s Sunnah.

The Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque also commended Uzbekistan’s efforts, under the leadership of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in reviving, preserving, studying, and widely promoting Islamic heritage. He noted that this is clearly reflected in the establishment of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent and the Imam Al-Bukhari Complex in Samarkand, affirming Uzbekistan’s pride in its identity and its commitment to drawing upon the values of Islamic civilization not merely as a source of pride, but as a repository of ever-renewing knowledge and scholarship.

He further affirmed that the objectives of the conference are aligned with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commendable efforts in defending and promoting the Holy Quran, the Prophet’s Sunnah, and the eminent figures of Islam, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He concluded his address by praising ICESCO’s efforts in this regard.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan have explored ways to expand bilateral cooperation in food security, climate action, education, and youth capacity building, with the aim of strengthening their partnership in the coming phase.

This took place during a visit by Mr. Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, and Dr. Shezra Ali Khan, Minister of State for Climate Change of Pakistan, to ICESCO headquarters in Rabat on Tuesday, 7 July 2026. They were received by Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Head of the Education Sector and Director of the Translation and Publishing Center, on behalf of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Organization.

During the discussions, Dr. Albanyan delivered a presentation on ICESCO’s flagship initiatives and projects in education, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, and youth training, particularly programs implemented in Pakistan. The discussions also addressed the growing importance of national food security and the need to strengthen cooperation among ICESCO Member States in knowledge exchange, research, innovation, and technology transfer.

For his part, Mr. Rana Tanveer Hussain commended ICESCO’s role in serving the Islamic world and proposed that Pakistan host the Organization’s first conference on food security in Islamabad in 2027.

Dr. Shezra Ali Khan also expressed her country’s interest in organizing joint activities with ICESCO during the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP31) in Türkiye and proposed hosting the ICESCO Conference of Environment Ministers in Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Kuanysh Yergaliyev, Head of the Science and Environment Sector; Dr. Sohail Qureshi, Advisor to the Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW); and Dr. Waqas Afridi, Expert at the Education Sector.