Azhar chief to meet leader of French extreme-right party

The head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar university, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, has agreed to meet leader of the French National Front party Marine Le Pen.

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, Al-Azhar said: “As part of Al-Azhar’s openness to positive dialogue with all currents and intellectual trends, and in order to promote Muslim interests across the world, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb has agreed to a meeting request sent by Ms Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front Party.”

Al-Azhar said in the same statement that the meeting will address “misconceptions about Islam and intellectual extremism and racism suffered by some of Europe’s Muslims.”

The statement said the meeting comes “at a time when manifestations of hatred and fear of Islam and Muslims are growing in some Western societies, mainly due to confusion between Islam’s tolerant teachings and individual behaviours.”

The statement did not specify the date or place of the meeting.

The French National Front is an extreme right-wing party founded in 1972 and currently led by Marine Le Pen, who is known for her hostile position on Muslims and immigration.

Le Pen plans to run for presidential elections due in 2017.