Dr. Ahmad al-Tayīb, the Azhar’s Grand Shaykh, sent a congratulatory cable to the Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III along with the head of the three Coptic churches in Egypt (Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical) in which he greeted them over the Christmas. [Mahmūd Dā'ūd, al-Ahrām, Dec. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic
Meanwhile, Dār al-Iftā’ assured the legitimacy of greeting non-Muslims in their feast but without saying any words against the Islamic doctrine. [Khālid Ahmad al-Muti'nī, al-Ahrām, Dec. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic
[Reviewer’s Note: this news was also mentioned in al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Dec. 27, p.1 and al-Misrī al-Yawm, Dec. 27, p. 3]
Minister of Transport, Dr. Jalāl Sa’īd, visited the pope on December 25, 2011 to enquire after his health after his medical trip at Cleveland Clinic in the U.S. State of Ohio. [Mahmūd Dā'ūd, al-Ahrām, Dec. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic
On the other hand, the Church of Naj’ Hammādī refused to welcome any Christmas well-wishers, demonstrating against the lawlessness seen in the region recently and the kidnap of a number of Copts and asking for a ransom, which became a common phenomenon in several areas in the country.
Bishop Kyrillos of Naj’ Hammādī and Abū Tisht said that 11 Copts were kidnaped, nine out of them were released after paying royalties to the kidnappers. [Ashraf Sādiq, al-Ahrām, Dec. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic
Furthermore, the Alexandrian poet, Hamdī Zaydān invited people to spend New Year’s Eve off Two Saints Church, Saint Mark and Pope Peter in Alexandria in memory of the martyrs and victims died in the previous New Year’s Eve. In the early minutes of year 2011, a car exploded just outside the church, leaving doznes killed or wounded. So far the security bodies did not reveal the culprits. [Ashraf Sharaf, Al-Akhbār, Dec. 27, p. 7] Read original text in Arabic
Moreover, a number of political movements in Alexandria organized a one-year memorial for the victims of Two Saints Church. Father Philopater Jamīl, Father of Virgin Mary Church in Faysal, attended the memorial and said that if the Supreme Council of the Armed forces (SCAF) wanted to know the "invisible being" that shed the Egyptian blood then all what SCAF needs to do is to look in the mirror.
Father Butrus, monk at Saint Paul Monastery, said that Copts will not allow anything against their doctrine to be enforced on them even if they paid their lives to resist it, referring the Islamist movements. [Khayr Rāghib, ‘Imād Khalīl and Rajab Ramadān, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Dec. 27, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic
[Reviewer’s Note: this news was also mentioned in al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Dec. 27, p.3]
Muhammad 'Ādil, a leader in al-Jamā'ah al-Islāmīyah, said that he lost in the parliament elections because of the alliance between the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Christians and seculars. He attacked the MB during a speech at a mosque in Suez governorate. [Sayyīd Nūn, al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Dec. 27, p. 6] Read Original Text in Arabic
In an opinion article in al-Misrī al-Yawm, Muhammad Amīn, the author, wrote that he does not fear who calls people infidels because there are other people who understands that Christians and Muslims are one. He criticized strongly a number of salafī leaders, and the statements of the prominent salafī Shaykh Yāsir Burhāmī, who called not to greet Christians because they are infidels. [Muhammad Amīn, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Dec 27, p. 7] Read original text in Arabic
