Dr. Hans Jansen has long played a role fuelling Islamophobia in the West. I understand his views on Islam have been greatly influenced by the writings and arguments of extremists. It is sad that such extremists have based their views on the Qur’an, Sīra and Sunna.
I am pleased Cornelis Hulsman has taken the initiative to document the one-sided nature of Jansen’s views. I have read Hulsman’s draft text on Hans Jansen and appreciated his request that I respond to Jansen’s comment on my article for Arab-West Report written immediately after the disposal of President Muḥammad Mursī on July 3, 2013. For my article, please see, “The Critical Situation in Egypt”.
In his response to my article, Hans Jansen highlighted the following sentence: “The Azhar documents were developed and adopted by key intellectual figures who represent Egyptian culture as well as a broad spectrum of the Egyptian community, both Muslims and Christians.”
Jansen responded the same day sarcastically in an email to Cornelis Hulsman: ''The Azhar documents were developed ... by Christians.’ See in the highlight. Thus worldnews?! Too bad that almost no one believes this.”
His comment shows how deep the influence of extremist thought was on Jansen. He believed their views to be true Islam, but nothing is further from the truth. Please read Judge ʿĀdil Mājid’s Commentary on the Al-Azhar Declaration in Support of the Arab Revolutionsfor the Amsterdam Law Forum.
Since the foundation of the Bayt al-ʿĀʾila by the Grand Imam Shaykh Aḥmad al-Ṭayyib and Pope Shinūda in January 2011, Muslim and Christian religious leaders consult each other prior to important statements that are made in relation to the national unity of the nation. I am absolutely certain the Azhar documents were developed through consultation and consensus with distinguished Muslim and Christian Egyptian intellectuals at the invitation of the Grand Imam. Dr Aḥmad al-Ṭayyib.
