Between the 3rd and the 5th of January 2009, and under the auspices of the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, and the Chairmanship of Professor Dr. Ahmed Mohamed l-Tayeab, the World Association of al-Azhar Graduates (WAAG), organized a conference titled “Al-Azhar and the West: Bridges of Dialogue”. Dr. Aref Ali ayed was one of the invitees to the Conference, and provided a full report o the great institution of al-Azhar that summarized the history and irst-year accomplishments of the “A Common Word” initiative.
He explained how this “Common Word” is a clear example of a Qur’anic “Wholesome Word”: rooted, open-ended, and fruitful. He argued that this historic initiative is great paradigm of how Muslim discourse can best be articulated today. The onference was a great opportunity for further networking and mutual updating between Muslim scholars several of whom were key signatories of the A Common Word” document.