Coptic thinker Dr. Rafik Habeeb says the reason the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar isn't as influential with Muslims as Pope Shenouda III is with Copts is that unlike the Al-Azhar, the Church is financially and administratively independent of state. The Church's strength also draws from the fact that it is not only responsible for Copts in a religious sense but also politically and socially, which if attempted by any Muslim party would be met with violent force from the authorities.

Key Words: Dr. Rafik Habeeb - Pope Shenouda III - Gamal Abdel Nasser - Dr. Mohamed Abdel Monein El-Barry - Al-Azhar - Dr. Ayman Nour - Sheikh Al-Said Askar - Abdel Ghaffar Shoukry - Dr. Youssef El-Karadawy - Councilor Tarek El- Bashary - Dr. Selim El-Awa