CAIRO: Young Muslims should be equipped with religious knowledge, including the Quran and knowledge related to technology, so that they can incorporate Islamic values into fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said that all Muslim students in Malaysia will be required to read the 40 Hadiths of Imam Nawawi, along with their translations, marking the first time in history this will be implemented.
"We will start by completing the translation of the books, and we will also reinstate any measures that were cancelled, such as the aid to religious schools. Assistance to religious schools was abolished in 2003 until the MADANI government took over, where we restored the aid to the schools nationwide," he said during a public lecture at Al-Azhar University here on Sunday.
He also announced increased aid and scholarships for Malaysians in Islamic Studies, Medicine, and Engineering.
Anwar said students from Maahad Tahfiz are also being directed towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) so that, in addition to mastering Arabic and the Quran, they can acquire skills in engineering, AI, and more, adding that some have even succeeded in becoming pilots.
"This is part of the programmes we are implementing in Malaysia. The fields I mentioned are vast and expansive," he said.
Meanwhile, he mentioned that during discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to elevate Malaysia-Egypt strategic relations, Anwar said cooperation has already begun involving the supply of gas to Egypt by Petronas, adding that the production of Proton vehicles in Egypt is set to kick off before the end of this year.-- BERNAMA