15 remarks by Al-Azhar Imam on Christians and their holidays

CAIRO - 27 December 2020: Egypt Today has compiled statements by Al-Azhar Imam Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb in relation to Christians and their holidays as Christmas of Orthodox Christians, the sect of the majority of Christians in Egypt, approaches on Jan. 7.

1 – Voices that forbid congratulating Christians on their holidays belong to an extremist ideology that is in no way related to Islam.

2 – Since the 70s, ideological infirtlations have impacted Muslims and Christians in Egypt.

3 – An “Islamic priesthood” has emerged.

4 – Those who forbid congratulation Christians on their holidays are not familiar with the Islamic philosophy in dealing with non-Muslims.

5 - Christians are people of compassion, mercy and magnanimity. These traits will remain in them until Judgement Day.

6 – Al-Azhar has no objection whatsoever to building new churches.

7 – Islam is not against building churches, nor is here anything in Quran or Sunnah that forbid it.

8 – Al-Azhar would never intervene to stop building a church.

9 – Places of worship do not even need a law to regulate their construction.

10 – Building a mosque in front of a mosque disturbs Christians and is a kind of forbidden harm.

11 – Neither should churches be built in front of mosques because that also disturbs Muslims.

12 – The land of God is vast. Build churches and mosques away from each other.

13 – Acts such as these trifle with worship and the role of places of worship, and it is a behavior that is not acceptable to Islam.

14 – As a Muslim, you are not required to close a church, turn off its lights or forbid prayer therein.

15 – What is required from you as a Muslim is to defend a church in case it was attacked.