“Muslims and Christians in the East make a united national fabric. Past dictatorial and despotic regimes have harmed both Muslims and Christians,” Dr. Tayyīb said during a meeting with Patriarch Gregory III Laham of the Church of Antioch on January 5.
The top Sunni Muslim cleric also appealed to businessmen to work on improving the living conditions of the poor.
“I only care about hungry people. I would say that the moderate nature of Egyptians would guarantee the safety of your money and investments. The Azhar will be supporting whoever works for the good of Egypt,” said D. Tayyīb during another meeting on January 5 with a delegation from http://www.eba.org.eg/Main/default.aspx ">the Egyptian Businessmen’s Association (EBA) under Husayn Sabbūr. [Muhammad ‘Abd al-Khāliq, al-Ahrām, Jan. 6, p. 11] Read original text in Arabic
Meanwhile, Orthodox churches in Egypt are holding the Coptic Christmas Mass today amidst tight security measures as the Mass will be led by Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III at the Saint Mark Cathedral in the Cairo district of al-‘Abbāssīyah.
The Mass will be attended by delegations representing the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), the government, parties and for the first time the Muslim Brotherhood group under Deputy Murshid (Guide) Mahmūd ‘Izat and the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) under Secretary General Muhammad Sa’d al-Katātnī.
The FJP had said it would take part in this “holy occasion…that offers a good chance to stress the importance of close relations and spread amity”.
A church source said the cathedral will secure the well-wishers and worshippers through forces from the army, police and church scouts who regulate entry into and exit from certain gates for guests and worshippers, adding there will be 12 metal detectors at all entrances of the cathedral.
Rāmī Kāmil, the general coordinator of the Maspero Youth Union, said a planned sit-in inside the church was cancelled in order to avoid confrontations with the church, adding the Union settled for the stand of protest it had staged on Wednesday (January 4). [‘Imād Khalīl and Hānī al-Wazīrī, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Jan. 6, p. 4] Read original text in Arabic
Interior Minister Maj. General Muhammad Ibrāhīm said a plan was hammered out in coordination with the armed forces to secure all churches nationwide during the Coptic Christmas celebrations.
“The plan, more like the one operated to secure the People’s Assembly (parliament) elections, envisages the circle of suspicion in order to preserve security and order,” said Ibrāhīm, said a large number of policemen will be deployed at gates of all churches and the roads leading to them.
The interior minister welcomed Salafīs, Muslim Brotherhood members and January 25 Revolution youths who would like to volunteer to contribute to the security plan but this “has to be under the security agencies’ umbrella”. [Jamāl Hassan, al-Akhbār, Jan. 6, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic
A young Copt, Kyrillos ‘Ayyād, sat on the ground inside the St. Mark Cathedral carrying a large photo of Shaykh ‘Imād ‘Iffat, who was killed in the recent incidents off the cabinet office in downtown Cairo, during the visit of Dr. Tayyīb, Muftī of the Republic Dr. ‘Alī Jum’ah and Minister of Awqāf (Religious Endowments) Muhammad ‘Abd al-Fadīl al-Qūsī to congratulate Pope Shenouda over the Coptic Christmas.
“I was a friend of Shaykh ‘Imād and we always used to meet in most of the demonstrations in al-Tahrīr Square, where everyone was calling for attaining the goals and demands of the (January 25) revolution,” said ‘Ayyād.
The Coptic young man said that Shaykh ‘Iffat used to say that the issue in Egypt is not one of Muslims and Christians but rather about some hard-line groups that try to disrupt the unity of the nation and that all the people are equal Egyptians regardless of the religion they follow.
Hānī Ramsīs, a member of the Maspero Youth Union politburo, said Copts are always ready to raise the pictures of Shaykh ‘Iffat and the Grand Shaykh of the Azhar inside the church because “they represent the moderate Islam”.
“Copts appreciate anyone who respects religion and promotes peace among all groups within the society,” said Ramsīs. [Muhammad ‘Antar, al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Jan. 6, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic
On the other hand, nearly final indications in the North Qena constituency – home to the townships of Abū Tisht, Naja’ Hammādī, Dishnā, al-Waqf and Farshūt – showed that ‘Abd al-Rahīm al-Ghūl, a figure of the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP), was out of the runoff elections despite his large groups of supporters. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Ahrām, Jan. 6, p. 4] Read original text in Arabic
