In his weekly speech on Friday in state-owned TV channel Al-Masreya, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb said, “people and experts feel that there is an organised campaign by some media outlets against Al-Azhar.”

Al-Tayeb claimed that participants in this campaign are divided into two groups. The first consists of those who intentionally campaign against Al-Azhar to help spread lies and false accusations in order to attract a bigger audience without caring about the public interest.

He added that the second group consists of those who receive funds to create conflicts between theological dogmas on one side and modern materialistic civilisation on the other in order to implement plots to destroy any authenticity and traditions in Egypt, stating that Al-Azhar was a main target of that.

Al-Azhar faced a storm of criticism following the attack on two churches during Palm Sunday celebrations earlier this month, which claimed the lives of 45 people and injured dozens.

Criticism against Al-Azhar has increased by public figures and media outlets after President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s speech that asserted the need to renew religious rhetoric and form a new body to fight terrorism.