CAIRO: Secretary of the Holy Synod and Damietta’s Bishop Bishoy denied any intended insult to the Quran or to Islam, stressing that his statement about revising the Quran — which was carried by media reports last week — was taken out of context.
“I fully respect Islam and Muslims and I never attacked Islam or doubted any of the Quranic verses,” said Bishoy during the closing remarks of a theological conference in Fayoum.
The press published excerpts of a document that Bishoy distributed at the conference on its first day entitled “Media and its effects on faith,” which included questions regarding specific Quranic verses. The Bishop allegedly questioned whether the verses were said by the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) or were added to the Quran later, during the era of the third Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan.
Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyeb chaired a reactionary meeting of the institution’s Islamic Research Center to discuss Bishoy’s press statements.
“This kind of behavior is irresponsible and threatens national unity at a time when it is vital to protect it,” said Tayyeb.
He further gave warnings of the “repercussions that these sorts of statements can have among Muslims in Egypt and abroad.”
Bishoy explained that the issue was first raised during a meeting he had with the Egyptian ambassador in Cyprus.
“We were at the ambassador’s house when he asked me to explain some issues related to the Christian faith, and I cited a number of Quranic verses,” Bishoy explained. “The ambassador then said that the Quran supports the Christian faith and I said ‘yes, except for two verses’ … The Embassy’s military attaché was present and explained the verse and asked me if I accept it. I told him that I do, if it’s widely accepted.”
Bishoy confirmed that he meant to have a civilized dialogue to reach better understanding.
“I cannot understand how such dialogue could be turned into an attack on Islam,” Bishoy said. “I only presented the issue as an inquiry in order to reach a common ground, [it wasn’t] criticism meant [as] an attack … It is unfair to accuse me of contempt of religion.”
Bishoy said he always defends various religions, including Islam, in international conferences such as the World Council of Churches. He has stood up in defense of Islamic holy sites such as the Al-Aqsa mosque, he said.
He also cited a statement he made to the Coptic Orthodox Church, which had condemned burning the Quran.
