The two-day conference highlighted the role of women in Islamic canonical history and praised the efforts of Palestinian women in defending their homeland.
A Qatari delegation has taken part in the 35th International Conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs dedicated to women preachers, marking the Gulf state’s first participation in a conference of its kind.
The delegation was led by Khalid bin Shaheen Al Ghanim, who is the Assistant Undersecretary for Islamic Affairs at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf).
Alongside Qatar, at least 60 delegations from across the globe attended. This included over 100 ministers, muftis, scholars and representatives from Islamic institutions.
On the sidelines of the event, Al Ghanim met and the Qatari delegation met with Osama El Azhari, the Egyptian Awqaf minister, Awqaf reported.
Cairo’s two-day conference, which took place in Cairo between Sunday and Monday, was held under the theme of the ‘Role of Women in Building Awareness’ under the auspices of the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah El Sisi.
Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) described the conference as the first of its kind dedicated to female preachers. Highlighting the role of women in Islam is within the “framework of the [Egyptian Awqaf] ministry’s efforts to promote community awareness of the pivotal role played by women in various fields of life,” the SIS added.
During the opening ceremony, El Azhari said that women are key to national stability. Also during the conference’s opening remarks, both El Azhari and the Egyptian Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouli underscored how the Holy Quran highlights the stories of women in Islam.
This is a sentiment that is particularly important to Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.
“There are verses that address women. Surah Al Nissa, Surah Al Mumtahanah, Surah Al Mujadilah. Allah honoured women and protected their rights,” the Qatari royal said in the context of the inauguration of Doha’s Al-Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women.
Conference denounces attempts to displace Palestinians
The conference affirmed its rejection of attempts to displace Palestinians from their land.
At the event’s opening, Nazir Ayyad, the Egyptian Grand Mufti, praised the women of Palestine for their sacrifices to defend their homeland.
On Monday, Alaa Daraghme, a Palestinian journalist based in Ramallah, reported that Alice Kisiya, a Christian Palestinian woman from Wadi Al Makhrour in the occupied West Bank, had been issued an order from the Israeli police, preventing her from accessing her family’s land.
Daraghme added that Kisiya’s family land has now been declared a militarised zone following a complaint filed against her by an illegal settler. This is despite Kisiya possessing documentation issued in 2014 proving rightful ownership, and a 2023 court ruling affirming it.
Mahmoud Al Habbash, the Palestinian President’s advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations, and Mohammed Najm, the Palestinian Authority’s Minister for Religious Endowments, also attended the conference.
The two Palestinian religious officials echoed the conference’s calls for support for Palestine’s people against siege and aggression.
In Gaza alone, since Israel renewed its onslaught on the Strip in October last year, the Gaza Ministry of Health reports that at least 40,435 people have been killed, while 93,534 are injured.
