Azhar’s grand imam decries Western officials’ use of ‘Islamic terrorism’

Egypt’s Grand Imam of El-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb denounced some Western officials’ insistence to use the term “Islamic terrorism,” demanding the incrimination of its use. El-Tayyeb’s office released a statement saying the term is offensive to Islam and its believers and reflects a shameful ignorance of the religion’s graceful Sharia and its laws and principles that […]

Egypt’s Grand Imam of El-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb denounced some Western officials’ insistence to use the term “Islamic terrorism,” demanding the incrimination of its use.

El-Tayyeb’s office released a statement saying the term is offensive to Islam and its believers and reflects a shameful ignorance of the religion’s graceful Sharia and its laws and principles that incriminate violence against human rights, freedoms, and mutual respect.

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“Sheikh Al-Azhar reasserts that attaching the crime of terrorism to Islam or any other divine religion is a defective confusion between the truth of religions that came down for the happiness of mankind and using them for low purposes at the hands of a minority,” the statement added.

El-Tayyeb urged Western officials to refrain from using “misleading terms” that will only increase hatred and radicalisation and defame the principles of peaceful religions that call against violence and promote coexistence.

“Those who insist on using this hateful term are not aware they are reducing opportunities for fruitful dialogue between the East and West and increasing hate speech among societies,” the statement added. (ahram.org.eg)