Salafists’ keenness to welcome Coptic Patriarch, Pope Tawadros during his recent visit to Matrouh raised a state of controversy inside the Islamist current, Youm7 reported on Monday.
The Coptic Pope visited coastal province of Marsa Matrouh on Wednesday to deliver his weekly sermon from St. Mary Church to mark the memory of its establishment. A number of officials and politicians, including members of Salafist trend, received him.
The Salafist Call issued a number of statements to acquit itself from its members’ welcoming of the Christian spiritual leader, while the formal statements were not enough from their perspective. A number of Salafist figures, including Yasser Bourhami, organized a meeting in the province on Saturday to condemn such act.
Sources revealed that the Salafist leaders expressed their refusal to the welcoming of Pope Tawadros, describing such act as a clear violation against the Salafist approach. They also criticized a banner reading, “Salafist Call Welcomes Pope Tawadros”, describing it as a sin prohibited by the Islamic law.
On the other hand, leader of Matrouh’s Salafist Call Ali Ghallab refused the criticism of Salafist leaders, stressing that they do not subject to Alexandria’s Salafist Call.
He added, “I was invited to meet with Pope Tawadros not to receive him.” He stressed that his movement has no political aspirations, while works to achieve the interests of the country.
He praised the Pope’s visit to the province, saying that it came just to provide evidence that Matrouh is a model of peace and coexistence between Muslims and Christians
