A spokesman for Egypt’s Al Azhar University has praised Pope Benedict
XVI and the Vatican for their statements defending the dignity of
religious faith.
Mahmoud Azab of Al Azhar singled out the initial Vatican response to the
unrest and Libya and Egypt following the release of the film,
“Innocence of Muslims.”
That statement, condemning deliberate
provocations against religious believers, was a sign of respect for all
faiths, the Islamic spokesman said.
Azab said that Muslims should show a similar respect for Christian
beliefs, and condemned the action of an Egyptian man who tore up a Bible
during a recent public protest.
Al Azhar University, the leading academic institution in the Islamic
world, has often engaged in dialogue with the Holy See.
But the Egyptian
university broke off talks with the Vatican amid the protests following
Pope Benedict’s Regensburg address.
Azab said that the possible
resumption of talks with the Vatican was a separate topic.