An Azharite delegation, headed by Dr. Abbass Shūman the deputy of Al-Azhar, visited the Church of Mar Jirjis and Bishop Bakhum of Suhag and Magāghah. The deputy of Al-Azhar assured that “the attacks against churches cause us a lot of pain as it contradicts the teachings of sharī’ah” and that “only someone ignorant of his/her religion can commit them”. Bishop Bakhum assured that Al-Azhar and the Church are the shield against sectarian thought (Author not mentioned, al-Akhbār, Nov. 4, p. 4). Read the original text in Arabic.