Background:

During a press conference, Shaykh Muḥammad Sayyid Ṭanṭāwī answered several questions asked by foreign reporters. Questions are related to violence, the situation in Palestine, minority rights and gender equality in Islam.

All the answers in Arabic were interpreted to English however the interpreter’s voice is not very clear.

Side A:

Shaykh Ṭanṭāwī explained that all religions including Islam call for security, liberty and are against violence and terrorism in all its shapes. He said that in every country we can find terrorism but in varrying percentages; extremism exists in all countries. He added that in Egypt in the 70s and 80s, terrorism reached high percentages, but this is not the case in the 90s and this is thanks to development plans and the environment of liberty that shaped this period.

Shaykh Ṭanṭāwī replied to a question regarding the clashes between Islam and other religions and clarified that this is not true since all religions aim for the good of humanity. He explained that there are no clashes of civilizations; there is a sort of complementarity between the West and the East since all humans have the same origin.

One question raised the topic of the project draft discussed at the American Congress concerning minorities who are discriminated in a lot of countries. This includes the case of Christians in Egypt, however it does not mention anything about Muslim minorities. Shaykh Ṭanṭāwī replied that he sincerely believes that Christians and Muslims in Egypt have the same rights and obligations, they have been living on the same land for almost fourteen centuries as close neighbors and they share everything. He added that everyone with the Egyptian nationality regardless of their religion: Christians, Muslims or Jews, have the same rights and they enjoy the liberty of conviction without any form of forcing them to follow a particular religion. Islam confirms that “No compulsion is there in religion” (Sura 2:256). He added that those who talk about discrimination against Christians in Egypt are repeating nothing but rumors however ordinary conflicts might happen between Muslims and Christians like any other disputes that might happen between two Muslims or two Christians.

Another topic was raised concerning the Judaization of Jerusalem. Shaykh Ṭanṭāwī explained that the religious importance of Palestine and Jerusalem and how Muslims lived there for fourteen centuries along with Christians and Jews, therefore means that any attempt to expel Arabs whether they were Christians or Muslims is completely unacceptable. He insisted that the Eastern part of Jerusalem where we can find most of the Christian and Islamic monuments, should keep its Islamic and Arabic identity.

Side B:

Injustice does not lead to peace, thus, he thinks that Palestinians are subject to a great deal of injustice. He expressed his wishes that people live in peace and cooperate for the benefit of the humanity regardless of their religions. He explained that the questions of normalization of ties with Israel is a political matter, politicians are those who determine such issues. He explained that he, as a man of religion, does not interfere in political matters, but rather focuses on the question of since it is his expertise. He explained that he welcomes all positive discussions that aim to gain a better understanding of the religion, however, he, as one of those responsible of the country, believes thatsuch official discussions and meetings should follow some standards and should be beneficial. On the other hand, ordinary meetings like the one with reporters are organized more easily.

In response to another question, he explained that in Egypt, each institution has its specified functions, and so heas the Shaykh of the Azhar, holds therole of supervising Islamic institutions and educational Islamic institutions in Egypt as the University of the Azhar and its affiliated faculties. As for fatwās, thes eare the responsibility of the Egyptian Dār al-Iftā' and not of the Shaykh of the Azhar.

Shaykh Ṭanṭāwī answered a question concerning gender equality in Islam. He supported his answer through the first verse of chapter fourof Sūra al-Nisā':

‘People, have fear of your Lord who has created you from a single soul’.

He confirmed that women and men are equal in jobs, in education, etc. This does not neglect the distinctions between genders.