CAIRO — Egypt’s Al-Azhar has had a significant presence abroad in recent years, especially in its efforts to counter the effects of the Islamic State's rise in several countries. The Sunni religious and educational institution has undertaken joint programs to support Islamic countries' fight against extremism and participated in conferences held by international organizations.

All this activity, however, apparently has made President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi a bit suspicious of the motives behind it. He and Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb have been known to vie for influence.

On April 2, Al-Azhar International Academy, which Tayeb established last year, began offering courses to train imams and preachers from 20 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Nigeria. On its website, the academy says it shares with participants Al-Azhar's expertise in Islamic studies, "refining their skills and giving them modern experiences and methods that raise their scientific level and help them to deal with intellectual, jurisprudential and doctrinal issues."

In January, the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) inaugurated the International Awqaf Academy, a training institute distinct from Tayeb's for imams and preachers in 6th of October City with the goal of drawing Egyptian and international figures together to renew Islamic discourse.