Egypt's Endowments Minister: We face death mongers with cherishing life

Cairo- Dr. Mohamed Mukhtar Jumaa, Minister of Religious Endowments (Al-Awqaf) said that this year’s organization of the Forum of Islamic Thought - after a six-year hiatus - means that the Egyptian state has returned to its normal strength and status. The forum is organized by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.

“Egypt has returned to normalcy as a one united nation under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi whom the Egyptian people has been supporting ever since he came onto the political scene. They have supported him in his war on extremism and terrorism as well as his recent decision to restore all state’s usurped and stolen lands across Egypt," Jumma said.

These were the remarks that the minister opened up with in his speech at the Forum of Islamic Thought, on Monday evening May 29, 2017, at the Imam Hussein Mosque in Cairo.

The forum was attended by several religious figures and scholars among who were: Dr. Mohieldin Afifi, Secretary General of the Islamic Research Academy, representing Dr. Ahmed Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar; Dr. Abdul Hadi Al Qasabi, Grand Sheikh of Sufi Orders; Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud Abu Hashim, Vice President of Al Azhar University (the Northern Branch); Dr. Ahmed Ajeeba, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs; in addition to a number of prominent scholars from  Al-Azhar and Al-Awqaf.

All sectors of the Egyptian people welcome the holy month of Ramadan with a message to the whole world that says,“We face death mongers by elevating the values of life.” Indeed, Islam is the art of making life, not the art of causing of death. On our part, we disavow and condemn, without distinction, any call that even only hints at the shedding of blood of any innocent Egyptian citizen. If one Egyptian is injured, it only means that all Egyptians are hurt as a consequence. We will be more cohesive, more resilient, and more powerful than we have ever been before in order to foil enemy plots against our dear homeland and [national] security.