FrontPage Magazine During his visit to Egypt last week, “Pope Francis visited al-Azhar University, a globally respected institution for Sunni Islamic learning,” and “met with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of the government-run Al-Azhar mosque and an Islamic philosophy professor.” This has been reported by several media, often with much fanfare. Unfortunately, however, … [Read more...]
Christianity and Judaism Breed Terrorism Just Like Islam, Says Egypt’s Top Muslim Cleric
Coptic Solidarity Egypt’s top Muslim cleric and head of Al Azhar, Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb, recently spoke before the religious representatives of some 50 nations during a Cairo-based conference. The sheikh demonstrated once again that he is a master of exhibiting one face to fellow Muslims—one that supports the death penalty for “apostates,” calls for the totality of … [Read more...]
All Art Is “Immoral,” Says Egypt’s Top—and “Moderate”—Cleric
Coptic Solidarity Art has a largely negative impact on human morality. So says Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al Azhar madrassa and arguably the “most influential Muslim in the world.” In a recent televised interview, Tayeb was asked “To what degree does art influence the morals of the youth.” The sheikh responded that art—presumably all forms and … [Read more...]
Al Azhar Rejects Reforming ‘Religious Discourse’
Coptic Solidarity Much of the curriculum of Al Azhar—the Islamic world’s most prestigious university, located in Cairo—is based on Islamic books written in the medieval era or earlier. These books—histories, biographies of Muhammad, hadith (words and deeds of the latter), tafsirs (Koran exegeses), etc.—are often criticized by more reform-minded Muslims for being too … [Read more...]
Muslims May Wear the Cross to Deceive Christians
An Arabic language video of an Al Azhar professor, Dr. Salim Abdul Galil, is instructive of how that Egyptian institution sees the relationship between Muslims and Christians. In it he discusses Koran 3:28: “Let believers not take for friends and allies infidels rather than believers: whoever does this shall have no relationship left with Allah—unless you but guard … [Read more...]