Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The muftī of the republic, Dr. ‘Alī Jum‘a has recently apologized for not participating in the newly-formed interfaith dialogue committee affiliated with the Azhar’s Islamic Research Academy [http://www.isra.org.uk/]. Much to the surprise of many people, Dr. Jum‘a has also refused to give reasons for his decision.

Asked about the reasons for setting up a new dialogue committee, the grand imām of the Azhar [http://www.alazhar.org/], Shaykh Muhammad Sayyid Tantāwī, made it clear that members of the Islamic Research Academy agreed to form this committee to prompt more Azhar scholars to engage in interfaith dialogue. Meanwhile, sources at the Islamic Research Academy have revealed that the low budget designated for this committee will remain an obstacle to the committee’s objectives. "The withdrawal of the muftī from the committee has prompted many of the nominated members to follow suit," Dr. Tantāwī clarified.

The committee includes the current deputy of the Azhar, Shaykh ‘Umar al-Dīb [Reviewer: Title not checked] as its head; secretary general of the Islamic Research Academy, Shaykh Muhammad Ibrāhīm al-Fayyoumī, as spokesperson; and members president of the Azhar University, Dr. Ahmad al-Tayyib. Also involved are secretary-general of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights, Dr. Ahmad Kamāl Abu al-Majd, Dr. Soufī Abu Tālib [Reviewer: No titles given for the undermentioned persons], Dr. ‘Abd al-Rahman al-‘Adawī, Dr. ‘Abd Allāh al-Najjār, Dr. ‘Abd al-Mu‘tī Bayyoumī [Editor: Founding member of the Center for Arab-West Understanding], Dr. Muhammad al-Shahhāt al-Jindī, Dr. Muhammad ‘Imāra, Dr. Muhammad ‘Abd al-Fadīl, Hāmid Abu Tālib, Dr. ‘Abd al-Fattāh al-Shaykh, Dr. Ahmad ‘Umar Hāshim, Taha Abu Kirīsha, Ismā‘īl al-Diftār, Nasr Farīd Wāsil [Reviewer: Former muftī of the republic] and Mahmoud Imbābī.

*Similar news item was reported by al-Akhbār of March 2, 2006 (p. 1) and al-Maydān of March 2, 2006 (p. 6)