The grand mufti of al-Azhar has defined the justification of desecrating Islamic sanctities under the pretext of freedom of speech as a disrespect towards man’s rationality.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, in his remarks at the international conference on “The Audacity of Peace” held in the German capital Berlin denounced some European governments for supporting desecration of holy Qur’an under the pretext of freedom of expression, reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).
 
He said,” Qur’an burning in some countries seemed a blasphemous act by an individual but the astonishment is when the governments support and justify the blasphemous act with freedom of expression” adding,” That is a humiliation to rationality since man can clarify the difference between freedom of speech and freedom for assaulting sanctities.”
 
The grand mufti of al-Azhar noted the support by prestigious academy for the holy sites belonging to all religions referring to an arson attack against Pakistani church when the prestigious academy firmly condemned the attack stressing,” That has been the stance of all Muslims since early days of Islam.”
 
“This is a rational position by holy Qur’an that defines all holy books as a light and guideline for humanity” said Ahmed al-Tayyeb and added,” This reasoning leads to an indiscriminate support for mosques, churches and synagogues.”
 
Top Egyptian mufti referred to interconnectivity of peace across the globe and said,” Peace in Europe is baseless without establishing peace in the Middle East as a peaceful Palestine or Asia is impossible without securing peace in Africa.”
 
He slammed the western countries for interference in the domestic issues of some Arab states and turning them into an arms market in order to create tension and sparking sectarian rifts.
 
Senior scholar denounced the deprivation of Palestinian nation from their rights to their ancestral lands as a “heavy burden” for the perpetrators and condemned the global silence towards the human catastrophe.
 
Held on 10-12 September, the international conference on “The Audacity of Peace” is a meeting organized by Sant’Egidio Communiuty, a Rome-based humanitarian organization, which is active in 73 world countries.