CAIRO — Sunni Islam's top religious body late Saturday slammed comments by an Egyptian Coptic bishop who cast doubt on the authenticity of some verses of the Qu'ran, saying his remarks threatened national unity.
Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb chaired an extraordinary meeting of the institution's Islamic Research Centre to discuss statements last week by Bishop Bishoy, who said that some verses were inserted into the holy book after the death of the Prophet Mohammed.
Muslims believe the Koran was handed down to Mohammed verbatim by the Archangel Gabriel over a period of around 23 years of the prophet's life.
In a statement, Al-Azhar said that Tayyeb was "shocked" by Bishoy's remarks.
"This kind of behaviour is irresponsible and threatens national unity at a time when it is vital to protect it," Tayyeb said.
He warned against "the repercussions that these sorts of statements can have among Muslims in Egypt and abroad."
During a recent meeting with the Egyptian ambassador in Cyprus, attended by some media, Bishoy said certain verses of the Koran contradict the Christian faith and that he believed they were added later by one of Mohammed's early successors, Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan.
His remarks sparked outrage among both Christian and Muslim leaders, saying they could lead to sectarian tension, and Bishoy told a lecture on Wednesday there had been a misunderstanding.
"My question as to whether some verses of the Qu'ran were inserted after the death of the prophet is not a criticism or accusation," he said. "It is merely a question about a certain verse that I believe contradicts the Christian faith," Bishoy told an audience in Fayoum, south of Cairo.
"I don't understand how that can be turned into an attack on Islam," Bishoy said, insisting that his remarks had been taken out of context.
Simmering tensions occasionally flare up into violent incidents between Muslims and Christians in Egypt.
Coptic Christians make up around 10 per cent of the country's 82-million population and complain of systematic marginalisation and discrimination.
