Ex-Iranian President writes to Sheikh of Al-Azhar protesting Shia killing in Egypt

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami has written a letter to Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb, expressing deep regret over the recent brutal killing of Shias in Egypt and called on Muslim scholars to take measures necessary to help prevent such acts, reports said on Saturday.  Khatami states in his letter "What happened is in contradiction with the rules of pure Islam and Egypt’s cultural and civil criteria.” and added " Egypt is a land of tolerance and Egyptians are ancient lovers of Ahlul Bayt and Egyptian leaders and scholars are pioneer in strengthening Islamic religions; it is pity that a small group would resort to savagery and create catastrophe in the name of religion.”Khatami states that extremism is a prevailing threat to Islam which must be taken seriously. "We must stand before such devastating devotional and political threats and emphasize unity and the effectiveness of dialogue in defense of the benevolent Islam.” Khatami continues.He also thanks the Sheikh of al-Azhar for his fatwa condemning such actions and necessitating legal procedures in their pursuit. On June 23, a mob of 3000 Takfiri people attacked the house of Shia cleric Sheikh Hassan Shehata in the village of Abu Mussalam, killing the cleric and three of his followers and dragged their bodies on the streets./129