Al-Azhar condemns reported attempt to target Mecca

Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top Islamic authority, on Wednesday strongly condemned what it described as an attempt to target Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and direction of prayer, saying any attempt to endanger the sacred city was a grave crime and an attack on a sanctity revered by Muslims.

In a statement, Al-Azhar warned against expanding the conflict to include Islamic holy sites, stressing that Mecca must not become a battleground or a target of threats. It said the sanctity of Mecca is a fundamental principle of Islam that must not be violated or threatened.

Al-Azhar Al-Sharif stressed that the security of the Two Holy Mosques — the Sacred Mosque in Mecca and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem — is not a political or regional issue, but one that concerns the faith of Muslims worldwide.

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It said targeting or endangering the sacred sites would offend around two billion Muslims and constitute an attack on holy places towards which Muslims turn in prayer and which they visit for pilgrimage, regardless of their nationality, religious school, language or background.

It added that protecting the sanctity and security of Mecca, as well as the safety of those visiting it, is a responsibility that Muslims and non-Muslims alike should respect, regardless of political or conflict-related considerations.

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