Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah congratulates a graduate of the Grand Mosque Institute in Makkah on Thursday

The 44th group of students from the prestigious Grand Mosque Institute graduated Thursday.
Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah attended the graduation ceremony at the Grand Mosque.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, imam and khatib at the Grand Mosque and president of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, urged the graduates to serve as ambassadors of Islam and to shy away from extremist ideologies.

Students of the institute come from different parts of the world. About 2,500 students from 70 countries are currently studying at the two institutes in Makkah and Madinah, said Al-Sudais.

“Hundreds of students graduate from the institute to serve Islam and their communities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prince Mishaal launched several developmental activities at the institute including an association for graduates, a program to support gifted students and a competition based on the study of the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah.

He also launched an award recognizing expert knowledge of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In a telephone message broadcast at the function, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh wished the institute all success and hoped it would expand its work.