The Azhar appealed to all Egyptians to maintain their national unity and rise above differences and divisions as much as they can in order to spare the nation a conflict.

Grand Shaykh of the Azhar Dr. Ahmad al-Tayīb, in a statement on Saturday (June 23), asked Egyptians to preserve Egypt’s interests over partisan or political considerations and to converge on national objectives all have agreed on in the Azhar papers.

Dr. Muhammad Jimi’ah, the director public affairs and information at the Azhar Shaykh’s office, said that the Azhar will remain a house of Egyptian patriotism and will continue on the constitution-drafting panel with the hope of “sailing Egypt through to safety”. [Sanā’ Hashīsh, al-Wafd, June 24, p. 3] Read text in Arabic