Al-Azahr University's Plan for Deterring Promotion of Shiite Doctrine
Egypt’s Al-Azhar Islamic School plans to ally itself with the country's Salafists to deter promotion of Shiite doctrine in the Arab world.
According to Al-Watan News, in a meeting held yesterday, October 9, a number of al-Azhar Islamic School’s scholars and officials investigated the potential of extremist Salafists in preventing the dissemination of Shiite doctrine in Arab countries particularly Egypt.
Al-Azhar officials expressed concern over the growing number of Shia Muslims saying that, “Shia Muslims are seeking to revive the Fatemi (related to Hazrat Zahra [SA]) culture in Egypt and plan to alter the al-Azhar into a Shia center”.
Such allegations will only contribute to fomenting discord among Muslims and the decision is nothing but a plot orchestrated by the Western countries with the aim of creating ideological rift among Islamic communities.
Given the Islamic Awakening Tide sweeping the nations and West’s continuous attempts to defile Islamic sanctities, it is incumbent upon all Muslims particularly the scholars to develop their insight, remain their vigilance and strengthen their unity in the face of such anti-Islamic moves.
Al-Azhar, as the highest religious institution in the Sunni world, should strive for foiling the enemies’ ploys and should be a center to foster solidarity and harmony among Muslims not a safe home for extremists.
Shias were shunned from Egypt’s political and social life throughout the 30-old year regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. There are no official statistics on the number of Shias in Egypt, but experts on the country’s religious minorities estimate their number between 50,000 and 80,000, a relatively small proportion of Egypt’s population of 85 million. Some were banned from traveling abroad and repeatedly arrested by the security services of Mubarak’s regime.
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Al-Azhar officials expressed concern over the growing number of Shia Muslims saying that, “Shia Muslims are seeking to revive the Fatemi (related to Hazrat Zahra [SA]) culture in Egypt and plan to alter the al-Azhar into a Shia center”.
Such allegations will only contribute to fomenting discord among Muslims and the decision is nothing but a plot orchestrated by the Western countries with the aim of creating ideological rift among Islamic communities.
Given the Islamic Awakening Tide sweeping the nations and West’s continuous attempts to defile Islamic sanctities, it is incumbent upon all Muslims particularly the scholars to develop their insight, remain their vigilance and strengthen their unity in the face of such anti-Islamic moves.
Al-Azhar, as the highest religious institution in the Sunni world, should strive for foiling the enemies’ ploys and should be a center to foster solidarity and harmony among Muslims not a safe home for extremists.
Shias were shunned from Egypt’s political and social life throughout the 30-old year regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. There are no official statistics on the number of Shias in Egypt, but experts on the country’s religious minorities estimate their number between 50,000 and 80,000, a relatively small proportion of Egypt’s population of 85 million. Some were banned from traveling abroad and repeatedly arrested by the security services of Mubarak’s regime.
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