Egypt's Grand Sheikh Arrives In Indonesia For Moderate Islam Meet

JAKARTA, April 30 (Antara) - Egypt's Al Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed Muhammed Ahmed Eltayyeb arrived here on Sunday night to attend the High-level Consultation of Muslim Scholars and Ulema on Moderate Islam scheduled for May 1-3 in West Java's Bogor city. Eltayyeb arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta by special flight at 10:20 p.m. local time. Upon arrival at the airport, he was greeted by the Indonesian President's Special Envoy for Interfaith Dialog and Cooperation and Civilization Din Syamsuddin, Vice Foreign Minister AM Fachir, Director General for Islamic Mass Guidance of the Religious Affairs Ministry Muhammadiyah Amin, ambassadors of friendly countries and other important figures. Din said earlier the event will bring together some 50 ulemas and Muslim scholars from various countries to discuss moderate Islam. The other guests who will attend the three-day meeting include Imam of Holy Grand Mosque Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Hamid, Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Husein and Lebanon's Mufti Sheikh Abdulatif Daryan. Also present will be Canada's Muslim scholar Jamal Badawi, Secretary General of the European Muslim Conference Muhammad Bechari of France, Secretary General of the Muslim World League Muhammad Abdul Karim Al Isa, Iranian ulema Sheikh Ayatullah Ali Taskhiri, Russian Mufti Sheikh Ravil Ismagiloviich and Chief of Japanese Muslims Amin K Tokomasu. Din said the Bogor meeting will also serve as a means to promote moderate Islam in Indonesia. "The Indonesia state system which is based on the Pancasila state ideology and the 1945 Constitution reflects the values of moderate Islam," he said.