Pope Tawadros: The visit of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Al-Azhar scholars to the Church is a message of fraternity and love
His Eminence, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmed al-Tayeb, along with a delegation of senior scholars of Al-Azhar, visited today, Wednesday, His Holiness Pope Tawadros, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, at the headquarters of the Coptic Orthodox Church to congratulate him on Christmas and the New Year.
During the meeting, the Grand Imam expressed his wishes for everyone that the new year would be a happy and joyful year that would witness the increase of fraternity, sympathy, and cohesion among all Egyptians: Muslims and Christians. His Eminence stressed the necessity of resorting to the Almighty in times of crises, asking Allah to preserve Egypt with its Muslim and Christian citizens and to bless Egypt and the whole world all the time with safety and stability.
His Eminence pointed out that the wars we are witnessing today result mainly from deviating from the morals that religion teaches us, and the spread of atheism and disbelief in Allah, which all lead to spreading selfishness, arrogance, dominance of power and money, and negligence of values and morals.
For his part, Pope Tawadros expressed his happiness at the visit of His Eminence the Grand Imam and scholars of Al-Azhar, declaring: "In the name of all priests, bishops, and fathers, we are pleased with you and your visit to us, which carries much fraternity, love, and cordial feelings." He stressed that these meetings are a message of reassurance for all that we are good and that we are aware of our duties towards our homeland. It also reflects the strength of the relationship between Christians and Muslims in our country, with Christians praying to Allah to preserve Egypt and to always bless it with security and safety.