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Int’l Conference in Cairo on Social Media's Impact on Religious Rhetoric

The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments. (The Ministry's electronic portal)
The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments. (The Ministry's electronic portal)
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Int’l Conference in Cairo on Social Media's Impact on Religious Rhetoric

The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments. (The Ministry's electronic portal)
The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments. (The Ministry's electronic portal)

 An international conference in Cairo set to discuss the impact of social media on religious rhetoric is scheduled to be held on Sep 9-10.

Egyptian Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa affirmed on Saturday that the conference would address cooperation with cyberspace.  Gomaa termed the current phase as ‘distinctive’ in the history of preaching and a new confrontation that is no less important or difficult than the first confrontation led by the ministry during the past years to liberate the mosques from extremist groups.  

The Egyptian government carried out previous steps to control the minbars of mosques, where religious preaches are made. Egypt has banned unauthorized preachers from giving sermons or teaching Islam in mosques. The decree also threatened fines and jail for whoever would violate this.  

The minister showcased during a meeting with the media committee of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of the Ministry of Endowments, the preparations for the 34th international conference of the council.  

The Middle East News Agency quoted Gomaa as saying that Sisi’s sponsorship of the conference is a major support to the moderate intellect on the international level.  

He further added that artificial intelligence is essential and should be used in what serves humanity.  

The conference would address several matters including the significance of cyberspace in the current time, the unconventional ways and their impact on religious rhetoric, electronic fatwa, online teaching and memorization, and the irrational use of cyberspace. 

Gomaa affirmed that the Egyptian president backs the renewal of the religious rhetoric, noting that restless efforts were exerted to restore the mosques from extremist groups. 

Earlier, Sisi stressed that among the current priorities is to establish a correct understanding of the religion.  

In January, Sisi gave instructions to establish large mosques nationwide, belonging to the Ministry of Religious Endowments, to spread true religion. 

He highlighted the need to select good locations for the new mosques and allocate appropriate spaces for them. 

The president also issued instructions to increase the efficiency of the main mosques in all governorates. 

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Arab World

Sudan Army Says Recaptures Key State Capital

Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP
Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP
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Sudan Army Says Recaptures Key State Capital

Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP
Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP

The Sudanese army said Saturday it had retaken a key state capital south of Khartoum from rival Rapid Support Forces who had held it for the past five months.

The Sennar state capital of Sinja is a strategic prize in the 19-month-old war between the regular army and the RSF as it lies on a key road linking army-controlled areas of eastern and central Sudan.

It posted footage on social media that it said had been filmed inside the main base in the city.

"Sinja has returned to the embrace of the nation," the information minister of the army-backed government, Khaled al-Aiser, said in a statement.

Aiser's office said armed forces chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had travelled to the city of Sennar, 60 kilometres (40 miles) to the north, on Saturday to "inspect the operation and celebrate the liberation of Sinja", AFP reported.

The RSF had taken the two cities in a lightning offensive in June that saw nearly 726,000 civilians flee, according to UN figures.

Human rights groups have said that those who were unwilling or unable to leave have faced months of arbitrary violence by RSF fighters.

Sinja teacher Abdullah al-Hassan spoke of his "indescribable joy" at seeing the army enter the city after "months of terror".

"At any moment, you were waiting for militia fighters to barge in and beat you or loot you," the 53-year-old told AFP by telephone.

Both sides in the Sudanese conflict have been accused of war crimes, including indiscriminately shelling homes, markets and hospitals.

The RSF has also been accused of summary executions, systematic sexual violence and rampant looting.

The RSF control nearly all of the vast western region of Darfur as well as large swathes of Kordofan in the south. They also hold much of the capital Khartoum and the key farming state of Al-Jazira to its south.

Since April 2023, the war has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 11 million -- creating what the UN says is the world's largest displacement crisis.

From the eastern state of Gedaref -- where more than 1.1 million displaced people have sought refuge -- Asia Khedr, 46, said she hoped her family's ordeal might soon be at an end.

"We'll finally go home and say goodbye to this life of displacement and suffering," she told AFP.