Grand Imam, Dr Ahmad al-Tayyeb Shaykh al-Azhar, denounces President Trump’s decision on Jerusalem and refuses to meet with American Vice President, Mike Pence, later this month.
The United Kingdom Branch of the World Association for Al-Azhar Graduates (WAAG UK) rejects the rash statement of the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, in claiming Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel and in light of that announcing his plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. On the issue of Jerusalem, WAAG UK stands with Al-Azhar and supports the stance of the Grand Imam, Dr Ahmad al-Tayyeb Shaykh al-Azhar, including his refusal to meet with the American Vice-President, Mike Pence, on the 20th of December, echoed also by Pope Tawadros II of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church.
Regarding Palestine and Jerusalem, the position of Al-Azhar and its Grand Imam, who is ranked as the most influential Muslim in the Muslim 500, is well-known and firmly established. In a statement issued by Al-Azhar on Friday, the Grand Imam stated: “Al-Azhar Al-Sharif angrily rejects and denounces the American administration’s declaration that the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) is the capital of the occupying Zionist entity; an unprecedented step and in flagrant defiance of international conventions and the sentiments of more than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world and the sentiments of millions of Arab Christians who, throughout history, have been brought together with their Muslim brothers by the mosques and churches of the historic Jerusalem.”
“We at Al-Azhar, and in the name of the Islamic world as a whole, affirm our categorical rejection of this reckless and illegitimate step,” he added. “We also affirm that it is a blatant and unacceptable forgery of history and a tampering with the future of peoples, to which Muslims will never remain silent as long as they have beating hearts. Everyone must know that Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state, and it shall never be otherwise, and any move that contradicts this is unacceptable and will have its grave consequences.”
The Grand Imam further stated: “From here at Al-Azhar, we call upon the leaders and governments of the Muslim world, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations to take immediate and serious steps to halt the implementation of this decision. Further, we call upon the people of the Arab and Islamic worlds to raise awareness regarding the crisis of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Muslims’ first direction of prayer (qiblah), the third holy Mosque and the place from which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ascended to the heavens during the night journey (mi’raj).”
In addition, the Grand Imam announced his firm rejection of the official request by the American Vice President, Mike Pence, to meet with him on the 20th of December. Just over a week ago, the American Embassy in Cairo formally requested to arrange a meeting between the American Vice President and the Grand Imam, Dr Ahmad al-Tayyeb Shaykh al-Azhar, at his office of Mashaykhat al-Azhar in Cairo as part of the Vice President’s tour to the region, a request approved by the Grand Imam at that time. However, after the declaration of this illegal, unjust decision on Jerusalem, the Grand Imam decisively rejected the meeting, confirming meanwhile that Al-Azhar cannot sit with those who distort history, spoil the rights of nations and commit aggression against their sacred places. The Grand Imam stated: “How can I sit with those who promise what they do not own to those who do not deserve?! The American President must immediately reverse this illegal and illegitimate decision. The American President and his administration are responsible for ignoring all democratic principles and values of justice and peace that are cherished by the American people and all peace-loving people around the world. The American President is responsible now for the repercussions of his decision that will lead to the spread of hatred that Al-Azhar is combating day and night in order to foster tolerance and love among all people, especially towards the American people.”
Following the statement of the Grand Imam on Friday, the leader of Egypt’s Coptic Church also cancelled an upcoming meeting with the American Vice President, Mike Pence, protesting against Washington’s move to declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The move by Pope Tawadros II on Saturday came a day after Palestinian leaders also said that the American Vice President, who is scheduled to visit the region later this month, was not welcome in the occupied territories. In its statement, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt said that it ‘excused itself from hosting’ Mike Pence when he visits the Egyptian capital of Cairo on the 20th of December. It said that Trump’s decision ‘did not take into account the feelings of millions of Arab people’.
