The grand imam of Cairo's Al
Azhar university, the world's top Sunni Muslim seat of learning
which has been waging a highly vocal campaign against Islamic
State (ISIS) militants, has been asked by House Speaker Laura
Boldrini to address the Italian lower chamber on October 21.
In charge since 2010, Ahmed El Tayyeb is considered one of
the most moderate Sunni theologians in Egypt, and was ill-viewed
by the Muslim Brotherhood when it was in power.
El Tayyeb supported the military who deposed Islamist
former president Mohamed Morsi.
Ahead of his speech, Tayyeb said Friday he would give a
wide-ranging survey of Islam and reiterated an appeal for "the
unity of Arabs and Muslims to face the Zionist threat".
Some opposition politicians have condemned Boldrini's
invitation.
Senator Maurizio Gasparri of the centre-right Forza Italia
party said he was offended by an invite to someone he claimed
was "a sort of pope of Sunni Islam who would like to give
lessons on terrorism and Islamophobia".
According to Gasparri, "defining the invitation as
irresponsible is the least one can say."
The head of Rome mosque's interreligious dialogue centre,
Imam Yahya Pallavicini, disagreed with Gasparri.
"The dean of Al Azhar university is one of the most
qualified, well prepared and experienced figures in Islam and I
believe it will be very important to listen to what he has to
say in the Chamber of Deputies," he said.
"Speaker Boldrini's move is interesting," Pallavicini
said.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
