Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb (second from right) received a delegation from the Hamas movement headed by Ismail Haniyeh (center) in 2019 (social networking sites)

Cairo -

Al-Azhar Al-Sharif has recorded positions supportive of the Palestinian cause since the first day of Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7, 2023, the most recent of which was its issuance of the book “The Imam and the Response to Zionist Allegations.”

The book provided documentation of the sayings of the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, in the form of responses to 18 of the “Zionist allegations” about the Palestinian issue, such as the claim that “peace is accepting the other, even if he is an occupier, and that the acts of violence and riots carried out by the Palestinians are terrorism and sabotage.” In it, Sheikh Al-Tayeb said: “Every occupation will disappear, and if an alien enemy is destined to live among us who only understands the language of force, then it is shameful for us to address him in a language other than the one he understands or respects.”

Al-Azhar’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause since the “Al-Aqsa Flood” and even before that in rejecting normalization constituted a justification for an Israeli attack on the sheikhdom, going so far as to accuse the Sheikh of Al-Azhar of “inciting hatred,” and that Al-Azhar, which leads an educational system with about two million students, “encourages hostile speech toward Israel.” ", according to what Israeli Channel 12 reported a few days ago.

The Israeli Institute for National Security Studies and Research had previously issued a report early last November, in which it called for “restraining Al-Azhar, undermining its reputation internationally, and stopping its support and funding, including the threat of American aid provided to Egypt.” The escalation against Al-Azhar coincided with Hebrew reports. It is reported that relations between Cairo and Tel Aviv are at their lowest levels, due to developments in the war on Gaza.

“Strike, Q.S.M.” chants in support of the Palestinian factions from inside Al-Azhar Mosque pic.twitter.com/AgOGR8k9TY

- Al Jazeera Egypt (@AJA_Egypt) October 13, 2023

Ongoing support

Al-Azhar’s positions in support of Palestine and its rejection of the Israeli aggression were numerous. On the first day of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Al-Azhar issued a statement in which it expressed its support for the resistance efforts, calling for “strengthening the hands of the Palestinian people.” On the second day of the operation, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar communicated by phone with the head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement. "Hamas" Ismail Haniyeh, and assured him that it stands by the cause.

On the tenth day of the operation, Al-Azhar’s Zakat and Charity House launched the “Help Gaza” campaign, under the slogan “Jihad with your money and support Palestine.” Worshipers at Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo also organized a massive demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause.

Al-Azhar continuously called for “an international investigation into the crimes of the occupation,” and stressed that “the Palestinians leaving their land represents the disappearance of the issue forever.” It continued to make international calls to stop the aggression, and condemned attempts at displacement, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and targeting defenseless displaced persons.

Al-Azhar magazine organized symposiums to support Palestine, including the symposium “Palestinian steadfastness in the face of Zionist oppression, and the role of Al-Azhar in supporting the cause,” and the symposium “The reality of the Palestinian issue between displacement and liquidation.” It published special issues on the issue and issued publications, including: Description of hostility to the Jews, A summary of the history of Jerusalem and international Zionism. Sawt Al-Azhar newspaper chose Al-Jazeera’s correspondent in the Gaza Strip, Wael Al-Dahdouh, as “Man of the Year” for the year 2023.

The Islamic Research Academy announced the launch of a global initiative for preachers of the Islamic world and Al-Azhar’s envoys to the countries of the world, and launched an awareness campaign entitled “God’s Promise” to support Al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy sites and stand against attempts to Judaize them. It published under the name “Book and Writer” a series of books to support the Palestinian cause, including: “Jerusalem between Islamic right and Zionist claims,” “The Return of Jerusalem,” and “Jerusalem between Judaism and Islam.” The Academy also organized awareness and academic campaigns to educate imams, preachers, and male and female preachers of Al-Azhar about Jerusalem and the Palestinian issue.

An aid convoy provided by Al-Azhar in front of the Rafah crossing in preparation for entering Gaza last January (social networking sites)

Religious war

A member of the Council of Senior Scholars at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Dr. Mahmoud Muhanna, says, “Al-Azhar has a historical role in confronting global Zionism and Western efforts to establish the State of Israel,” stressing the place of Palestine in the hearts of all Muslims and Al-Azhar in particular.

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Muhanna warned of the danger of Western efforts to help Israel eliminate the Palestinian issue, considering what is happening in Palestine “a religious war, claiming that Palestine is a Jewish state, contrary to reality, history, geography, and religion itself, so there is a need to make more effort and sacrifice.” ", according to him.

Regarding the reasons for the recent Israeli attack on Al-Azhar and its sheikh, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Muhanna explained, “Israel is fighting us in a religious war, and it is fully aware of Al-Azhar’s global reputation and its national role in supporting the cause, and from here they are fighting Al-Azhar, its sheikh, and everyone who supports Palestine or has a serious and militant stance for the sake of religion and the cause.” ".

He added, “Al-Azhar’s position on Palestine remains a thorn in the back of Israel, which considers it the strongest person to hold a pro-Palestinian position, from the Sheikh of Al-Azhar to his youngest students, and therefore they want to eliminate this role.” He added, “Despite the existence of a treaty between Egypt and Israel, there is An ancient and modern insistence on eliminating the Egyptian role, and at the heart of it is the Al-Azhar movement.”

In his assessment of the Israeli allegations regarding Al-Azhar educational curricula, and that they incite hatred and violence, Muhanna said, “Al-Azhar is a mosque and a university. It teaches religious sciences, history, philosophy, geography, etc., and from this standpoint, Israel seeks to eliminate this role and Al-Azhar’s generation,” noting that “the curricula The entire Al-Azhar University studies the evidence that Israel is an occupying state, and eliminating it is a must-have duty.”

Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb says in his new book, “Every occupation will disappear” (Al-Jazeera))

Historical role

In agreement with the previous opinion, the researcher and professor of political sociology, Ammar Ali Hassan, says that “Al-Azhar could not abandon one of its historical roles, which is to champion the nation’s issues and stand by the weak, attacked party, and that what Sheikh Al-Tayeb did was a continuation of this extended role.” For more than a thousand years."

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Hassan explained, “If some Jewish groups and organizations in the West, such as the Neturei Karta, said to Israel, ‘Do not kill in the name of the Jewish religion, this does not represent us,’ and if some of the major Christian figures in the world rejected the aggression, is it not natural for Al-Azhar to reject it?” "Especially when he is this cruel and brutal."

Hassan considered that the position of the Sheikh of Al-Azhar “is always supportive of the nation’s issues, and he realizes that many in the Islamic world, from Ghana to Fergana (the geographic extension of Islamic countries), look to Al-Azhar and expect a position from it, regardless of the position and position of the official regimes, and Al-Azhar always has a duty.” perform it, and say his word at the appropriate time.”

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar participated in dialogues about common humanity and interfaith dialogues, but he had no objection to them. The same speaker adds that “what is happening now in Gaza is too great for anyone to ignore in the name of dialogue, understanding, or coexistence. It is against all of these concepts and principles, and therefore he was on the verge of Al-Azhar should say what it said,” suggesting that Al-Azhar’s role will continue regardless of the pressures.

Source: Al Jazeera