By The Council of Ministers of Egypt –
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Dr. Sherif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, welcomed a distinguished group of religious and scientific figures during the scientific forum on new jurisprudential issues related to space rulings. The forum was hosted at the agency’s headquarters in cooperation with the Al-Azhar Global Center for Astronomical Jurisprudence and the International Space Academy.
The event was attended by a number of prominent leaders, including:
- Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Minister of Religious Endowments and President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
- Dr. Mohamed Abdel Rahman El-Duweiny, Deputy of Al-Azhar
- Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayad, Grand Mufti of the Republic of Egypt
- Dr. Salama Gomaa Dawood, President of Al-Azhar University
- Dr. Mohamed Abdel Daim El-Gendy, Secretary General of the Islamic Research Academy
- Dr. Taha Tawfiq Rabah, President of the National Institute for Astronomical and Geophysical Research
Also present were several vice presidents of Al-Azhar University and assistant secretaries of the Islamic Research Academy.
The forum commenced with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, followed by the national anthem. A documentary film was then shown, portraying life in space and the scientific vision of the Egyptian Space Agency.
Dr. Ahmed Abdel Barr, Director of the Al-Azhar Global Center for Astronomical Jurisprudence, presented the center’s perspective on the subject. This was followed by a presentation on the project of new jurisprudential rulings issues for space by Dr. Ayman Hamda, Director of the Orbit Design and Analysis Department, who discussed the foundation of a knowledge base encompassing scientific, astronomical, environmental, and medical data related to life in space.
In his opening address, Dr. Sherif Sedky welcomed the guests and emphasized the importance of integrating religious sciences with space sciences in order to address emerging jurisprudential issues related to outer space. He highlighted the spirit of scientific cooperation between national and religious institutions.
Dr. Mohamed Abdel Dayem El-Gendy, Secretary General of the Islamic Research Academy and Vice President of the Al-Azhar Global Center for Astronomical Jurisprudence and Space Sciences, delivered a speech stressing the need for precise understanding of space realities from a religious standpoint, given the unprecedented challenges of the modern era.
Dr. Taha Tawfiq Rabah, President of the National Institute for Astronomical and Geophysical Research, also spoke, underscoring the fruitful cooperation between scientific and religious institutions to achieve deep comprehension of space phenomena and their jurisprudential implications.
Dr. Salama Gomaa Dawood, President of Al-Azhar University, praised the joint efforts and reaffirmed Al-Azhar University’s commitment to addressing modern jurisprudential issues. He noted that Al-Azhar was among the pioneering universities to establish a specialized department in astronomy and pointed to the rich Arab and Islamic heritage in this field, exemplified by classical texts and manuscripts authored by scholars in astronomy.
Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayad, Grand Mufti of Egypt and President of the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, highlighted the strong relationship between religious rulings and astronomical phenomena. He emphasized the significance of astronomy in determining prayer times and Qibla direction and reviewed Muslim contributions in this field, considering astronomy a branch of mathematical geography.
In a notable intellectual contribution, Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Minister of Endowments and President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, called for enhanced cooperation by organizing joint scientific visits to the Egyptian Space Agency and the astronomical observatory. He stressed the importance of learning about recent achievements and rediscovering the scientific legacy of Muslim scholars in the field of astronomy.
The forum concluded with remarks by Dr. Mohamed Abdel Rahman El-Duweiny, Deputy of Al-Azhar and a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, as well as Founder and President of the Al-Azhar Global Center for Astronomical Jurisprudence and Space Sciences. He is recognized as one of the most prominent supporters of advanced scientific initiatives at Al-Azhar.
At the conclusion of the forum, the Egyptian Space Agency honored the guests by awarding them the agency’s shield in appreciation of their vital role in supporting the integration of science and religion. Commemorative photos were taken, reaffirming the spirit of constructive cooperation between national institutions in addressing contemporary issues from a combined scientific and religious perspective.
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Translated from
وكالة الفضاء المصرية تؤكد أهمية…
