Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyib of Al-Azhar and Pope Shenouda III of Egypt's Orthodox Church said Wednesday they are aware of attempts to disrupt Egypt's stability and national Muslim-Christian unity.
Al-Tayyib received Shenouda III and his retinue of priests at his office. The Coptic leaders wished the sheikh and the Muslim nation the best for Lesser Bairam, a festival starting Friday that marks the end of Ramadan.
"We are fully aware of attempts by foreign bodies to destabilize our national unity," al-Tayyib said. The sheikh stressed that relations between Egypt's Muslims and Christians are strong enough to withstand the plots. The sheikh repeated his assurance that Muslims and Christians are equal in duties and rights.
Al-Tayyib emphasized the role Al-Azhar must play in preserving national unity. He said Muslim and Christian religious leaders remain in close contact.
Shenouda III echoed the sheikh's affirmation of interfaith unity. He said relations between the two religions in Egypt are a paradigm for the rest of the world. The Pope then met with Minister of Religious Endowments Mahmoud Hamdy Zaqzouq, where the two reiterated the unity's resilience in the face of foreign schemes to foment sectarian conflict.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
