On the other hand, the Azhar’s Islamic Research Academy rejected assaults on religious figures and emphasized support for the Grand Shaykh of the Azhar and all scholars.

“Grand Shaykh of the Azhar Dr. Ahmad al-Tayīb has resigned from the former National Democratic Party (NDP)’s Policy Secretariat as soon as he received his post as the leader of the top Sunnī Muslim establishment,” the academy said in a statement.

It noted that the post of Grand Shaykh of the Azhar is a purely scholarly and academic one that has nothing to do with politics and no one, including the head of state, has the powers to sack him. [Dīyā’ Abū al-Safā, al-Akhbār, April 27, p. 7] Read text in Arabic