Saudi Ministry Launches 14th Scholarly Course in Ethiopia

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, represented by the Religious Attaché’s Office at the Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia, launched the 14th intensive scholarly course in Addis Ababa on September 28, 2026, bringing together approximately 300 preachers, imams, and students of Islamic sciences for a four-day program of structured religious instruction. The course is being held in cooperation with the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center, a longstanding partner of the Kingdom’s religious outreach efforts in the Horn of Africa, and forms part of a sustained Saudi initiative to strengthen religious education internationally in accordance with the methodology of the Quran and Sunnah.

The announcement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency, reflects the ministry’s continuing commitment to training religious leaders and disseminating Islamic knowledge through official, organized channels. For an international audience, the significance extends beyond the classroom: it demonstrates how Saudi Arabia’s religious diplomacy operates in practice, pairing scholarly instruction with institutional partnerships that reach communities far beyond the Kingdom’s borders. Why does a four-day course in Addis Ababa matter on the wider stage of global Islamic education? Because it represents one link in a chain of programs that Saudi Arabia has built deliberately and consistently over many years, connecting the Kingdom’s religious institutions with Muslim communities across Africa and Asia.

Context and Background

Has Saudi Arabia’s religious outreach always been this organized? The current program is the fourteenth edition of an intensive scholarly course, a numbering that itself tells a story of continuity rather than one-off engagement. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, headquartered in Riyadh and led by its minister, has developed a portfolio of international training programs delivered through religious attaché offices at Saudi embassies worldwide. These offices serve as the operational bridge between the Kingdom’s religious institutions and local communities, coordinating with recognized Islamic centers in host countries to deliver courses that meet local needs while maintaining scholarly standards.

Ethiopia holds particular significance in this landscape. The country is home to one of the oldest Muslim communities in Africa, with a history of Islamic scholarship that stretches back centuries. Addis Ababa, as the seat of the African Union and a major diplomatic hub, hosts a diverse and active Muslim population. The Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center, the local partner for this course, has collaborated with Saudi religious institutions on previous editions, providing facilities, participant networks, and logistical support. What does this partnership model achieve that a purely remote or centralized approach could not? It grounds the program in local institutions, ensuring that participants receive instruction within a familiar community setting while benefiting from the scholarly resources and curriculum design of the ministry.

The course’s focus on preachers, imams, and students of Islamic sciences reflects a deliberate prioritization. These groups are multipliers: they lead prayers, deliver sermons, teach children, and advise families. Investing in their knowledge produces effects that ripple through entire communities. The academic program described by the ministry grounds participants in the fundamentals of Sharia and deepens their religious knowledge, a formulation that emphasizes both foundational rigor and advanced study. For the Kingdom, this is not a peripheral activity but a core element of its religious mission, carried out under official auspices and with clear scholarly objectives.

Key Details

What exactly happens during four intensive days of study? The course features a structured academic program covering the fundamentals of Sharia, with instruction designed to deepen participants’ understanding of religious texts and their application. Approximately 300 participants are taking part, a scale that requires substantial organizational capacity: venue management, curriculum delivery, participant registration, and scholarly supervision. The Religious Attaché’s Office at the Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia oversees the program’s implementation, working alongside the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center to ensure smooth delivery.

The four-day format is itself a considered choice. Intensive short courses allow working preachers and imams to participate without extended absence from their congregations and duties. They concentrate instruction into focused sessions, often combining lectures, discussion, and direct engagement with scholars. For students of Islamic sciences, the course supplements longer-term studies with concentrated exposure to specific topics and methodologies. The ministry has refined this format across thirteen previous editions, adjusting content and structure based on experience and local feedback.

The stated purpose of the initiative is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to train imams, preachers, and students of Islamic sciences and disseminate Islamic knowledge in accordance with the methodology of the Quran and Sunnah. This anchoring in the Quran and Sunnah is central to how the ministry describes its work: it signals adherence to established scholarly tradition rather than innovation, and it aligns the program with the mainstream, recognized approach to Islamic learning that Saudi religious institutions promote internationally. The course therefore serves both an educational and a clarifying function, equipping participants with knowledge that is grounded, verifiable, and connected to recognized chains of scholarship.

International and Regional Impact

How does a course in Ethiopia connect to Saudi Arabia’s broader international role? The Horn of Africa is a region of strategic importance, home to large Muslim populations and increasingly central to global trade, security, and diplomatic calculations. Saudi Arabia has deepened its engagement with African nations through investment, development cooperation, and diplomatic presence, and religious outreach forms one strand of this broader relationship. By supporting religious education in Addis Ababa, the Kingdom strengthens people-to-people ties that complement official government relations. Participants who complete the course return to their communities with enhanced knowledge and a direct connection to Saudi Arabia’s religious institutions.

Regional impact also flows through the content of the instruction itself. Preachers and imams who receive structured training are better equipped to address the questions their communities face, from theological matters to contemporary issues, within a framework grounded in the Quran and Sunnah. This contributes to religious stability and cohesion, objectives that align with the interests of both host countries and the Kingdom. The cooperation with the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center demonstrates that this work is conducted in partnership with local institutions, respecting national contexts while sharing scholarly resources. For international observers, the program illustrates a model of religious engagement based on education, institutional cooperation, and long-term relationship building rather than short-term initiatives.

Economic and Strategic Significance

Does religious education have economic and strategic dimensions? For Saudi Arabia, the answer is yes, though indirectly. The Kingdom’s international religious programs support its broader soft-power strategy, building goodwill and influence through consistent, constructive engagement. Countries and communities that benefit from educational partnerships develop durable relationships with the Kingdom, relationships that facilitate cooperation across many fields. In the Horn of Africa, where competition for influence among global powers has intensified, Saudi Arabia’s sustained religious and educational presence represents a distinct and valued form of engagement.

Strategically, the training of imams and preachers supports the moderation and stability that the Kingdom consistently promotes. Well-trained religious leaders are assets to their communities and partners to their governments in maintaining social cohesion. The ministry’s programs are designed with this outcome in mind, emphasizing sound knowledge and responsible religious leadership. The fourteenth edition of the course in Ethiopia thus contributes to a strategic objective that extends well beyond the four days of instruction: the cultivation of a network of religious scholars and leaders who share a grounded understanding of Islam and maintain constructive connections with Saudi Arabia’s religious institutions. This network, built edition by edition, constitutes a form of enduring influence that no single agreement or transaction could create.

Vision 2030 Alignment

How does a religious course in Addis Ababa relate to Vision 2030? Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is often discussed in terms of economic diversification, tourism, and technology, but it also encompasses the Kingdom’s international role and its commitment to moderate, constructive engagement worldwide. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance operates within this framework, projecting the Kingdom’s religious leadership in ways that are organized, scholarly, and respectful of local contexts. The fourteenth intensive scholarly course is a concrete expression of this vision in action: a program that trains religious leaders, strengthens partnerships, and builds long-term relationships across the Muslim world.

As the course proceeds over its four days, the approximately 300 participants in Addis Ababa join a much larger community of preachers, imams, and students who have benefited from the ministry’s international programs. What will these participants carry back to their communities? Enhanced knowledge, refined teaching methods, and a renewed connection to the scholarly tradition that the Kingdom’s religious institutions uphold. The ministry has indicated that this initiative is part of its ongoing efforts, language that signals continuity and further editions to come. For Saudi Arabia, the work of disseminating Islamic knowledge in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah is a long-term mission, and each course, each partnership, and each trained participant represents a step forward in fulfilling it. In this sense, the fourteenth course in Ethiopia is both a milestone and a foundation for what follows.

20 Questions

Q1. What is the 14th intensive scholarly course launched by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs?

A1. It is a four-day religious training program held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance through the Religious Attaché’s Office at the Saudi Embassy, in cooperation with the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center.

Q2. When did the course begin?

A2. The course was launched on September 28, 2026, according to the Saudi Press Agency report dated September 29, 2026. It runs for four days in Addis Ababa.

Q3. How many participants are taking part in the course?

A3. Approximately 300 participants are taking part, including preachers, imams, and students of Islamic sciences. The scale reflects substantial organizational capacity and strong local interest in the program.

Q4. Who organized the course?

A4. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance organized the course, represented by the Religious Attaché’s Office at the Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia, working in cooperation with the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center in Addis Ababa.

Q5. What is the purpose of the course?

A5. The course grounds participants in the fundamentals of Sharia and deepens their religious knowledge. It is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to train imams, preachers, and students of Islamic sciences.

Q6. Where is the course being held?

A6. The course is being held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, in cooperation with the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center. Addis Ababa is also the seat of the African Union.

Q7. How long does the course last?

A7. The program is a four-day intensive course. This format allows working preachers and imams to participate without extended absence from their congregations and professional duties.

Q8. Who can participate in the course?

A8. The course targets preachers, imams, and students of Islamic sciences. These groups serve as multipliers who lead prayers, deliver sermons, teach, and advise within their communities.

Q9. What is the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center?

A9. It is a local Islamic center in Addis Ababa that partners with Saudi religious institutions. It has collaborated on previous editions, providing facilities, participant networks, and logistical support for the course.

Q10. What methodology does the course follow?

A10. The course disseminates Islamic knowledge in accordance with the methodology of the Quran and Sunnah. This anchoring signals adherence to established scholarly tradition and aligns with mainstream Islamic learning.

Q11. Why is Ethiopia significant for this program?

A11. Ethiopia is home to one of the oldest Muslim communities in Africa, with centuries of Islamic scholarship. Addis Ababa is a major diplomatic hub and hosts a diverse, active Muslim population.

Q12. How does this course fit into the ministry’s broader work?

A12. It is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to train imams, preachers, and students of Islamic sciences internationally. The fourteenth edition reflects continuity and sustained institutional commitment over many years.

Q13. What does the academic program cover?

A13. The academic program grounds participants in the fundamentals of Sharia and deepens their religious knowledge. It combines structured instruction designed to strengthen understanding of religious texts and their application.

Q14. How does the course benefit local communities?

A14. Participants return to their communities with enhanced knowledge and refined teaching methods. As religious leaders, they influence congregants, students, and families, producing effects that ripple through entire communities.

Q15. What is the role of the Religious Attaché’s Office?

A15. The Religious Attaché’s Office at the Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia oversees the program’s implementation, serving as the operational bridge between the Kingdom’s religious institutions and local partners in the host country.

Q16. How many editions of this course have been held?

A16. This is the fourteenth edition, indicating a long-running program with a consistent record of delivery. The numbering reflects continuity rather than one-off engagement in Ethiopia.

Q17. What is the strategic significance of the course?

A17. It supports Saudi Arabia’s soft-power strategy and builds goodwill through educational partnerships. Such programs cultivate networks of religious leaders with constructive connections to Saudi religious institutions.

Q18. How does the course promote moderation?

A18. By training imams and preachers in sound knowledge grounded in the Quran and Sunnah, the course supports responsible religious leadership, which contributes to religious stability and social cohesion in local communities.

Q19. How does this initiative align with Vision 2030?

A19. Vision 2030 encompasses the Kingdom’s international role and commitment to moderate engagement. The course projects Saudi religious leadership in an organized, scholarly manner consistent with the vision’s global objectives.

Q20. What happens after the course concludes?

A20. Participants carry enhanced knowledge back to their communities, and the ministry has indicated this initiative is part of ongoing efforts, signaling further editions and continued partnership with the Ibn Mas’oud Islamic Center.

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