International Shia News Agency

Muslim Cleric calls for review of counter-extremism policy

SHAFAQNA – Ahmed Al Tayeb, the head of Al Azhar in Egypt – most prominent Sunni religious institution – called on Monday for the reform of counter-extremism policy, arguing that more efforts should be exerted to contain the spread of extremism.

Speaking at counter-terrorism forum in Mecca, the imam linked extremism to “bad interpretations of the Quran and the sunna” – teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

“There has been a historical accumulation of excessive trends” that have led some people to embrace a misguided form of Islam, he told the gathering.

To which he added, “The only hope for the Muslim nation to recover unity is to tackle in our schools and universities this tendency to accuse Muslims of being unbelievers.”

Speaking on Sunday in Mecca at the opening of the three-day conference, Al Tayeb slammed, “new global colonialism allied to world Zionism”, warning that unrest in the Middle East and the Islamic is a result of foreign plot.

He added, “This plot has exploited confessional tension in conflict-hit Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya.”

The three-day conference is organized by the Muslim World League group of non-government organizations.

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