Islam, a religion of tolerance, peace and co-existence

Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid inaugurated the 9th International Holy Quran Competition yesterday, stressing the importance of spreading the correct understanding of Islam as a religion of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

"The Islamic world today is in urgent need of understanding the Holy Quran, which was the base of great Islamic civilizations that rendered unforgettable services to mankind," Ebeid said.

He said that Islam, as known in Egypt is a religion of tolerance, peace, and coexistence with others, and cooperating with them in everything conducive to the consolidation of security, stability, and peace in the entire world.

He stressed that Egyptian Universities were open to Muslims from all over the Islamic world, pointing out that 20,000 non-Egyptians were studying at Al-Azhar University.

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Dr. Mohamed Sayed Tantawi said that Al-Azhar, the Ministry of Wakfs, and all government agencies cooperate to explain the true nature of Islam.

Minister of Wakfs Mahmoud Hamdy Zaqzouq said that all attempts to challenge the Holy Quran were a complete failure.

The competition sponsored by President Hosni Mubarak and supervised by Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, attracted many Islamic scholars and diplomats. Over 100 competitors from 65 Islamic countries are participating in the competition.