Al-Azhar condemns attempt to target Makkah as grave provocation

Al-Azhar has condemned the attempt to target Makkah and warned against escalating the conflict.

In a statement, Al-Azhar described the act of endangering the Holy City as a heinous crime and a blatant violation of a sanctity revered by God, calling it a provocation to the feelings of Muslims across the world. The statement warned against expanding the conflict to include Islamic holy sites, stressing that it is inconceivable for Makkah to become a battleground or face threats. The sanctity of Makkah, it said, is a fundamental tenet of Islamic faith that must not be violated or approached with harm.

Al-Azhar emphasized that the security of the Two Holy Mosques is not merely a political or regional issue, but a matter that concerns the faith of the entire Muslim nation. Targeting or endangering the Holy City, the statement said, is an affront to the feelings of two billion Muslims and an attack on sacred sites to which Muslims turn in prayer and pilgrimage from all corners of the world. Al-Azhar affirmed that safeguarding the sanctity and security of the Holy City and its visitors is a responsibility that must be respected by both Muslims and non-Muslims, beyond the calculations of conflict and politics.