The deputy head of the Salafi Dawah movement strongly criticized the chairman of the Salafi Nour Party, Emad Abdel Ghafour, for attending the Turkish Embassy’s celebration of the 89th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish republic Wednesday.
“We are not pleased with that participation and were not informed about it in advance,” said Sheikh Yasser Borhamy, the Salafi Dawah leader, answering questions from visitors of his website, salafvoice.com.
“A Muslim should not partake in a celebration marking the end of the Islamic Caliphate, which was the symbol of the nation’s unity and was brought down by enemies of Islam,” the sheikh said.
He decried the founding of the secular country.
“The founding of the secularist Ataturk republic that had fought against Islam stronger than infidels [did] was one of the major catastrophes. Marking the event is unjustifiable, even as a diplomatic custom,” Borhamy maintained.
Turkey has sought closer relations with Egypt following the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak in the 25 January revolution last year.
President Mohamed Morsy visited Turkey in September. Ankara later approved a US$1 billion loan to Cairo.
