Faithful throng North Sinai mosque a week after massacre
cairo — Dozens of Muslims, including religious and army leaders, packed an Egyptian mosque for Friday prayers a week after gunmen massacred more than 300 people in the house of worship.
The mosque in Rawda village in North Sinai had been cleaned and renovated following the massacre by suspected Daesh group gunmen in time for the Friday prayers.
Egypt’s Second Field Army chief, Khaled Mogawer, which is fighting Daesh in Sinai, was seen in live footage aired on state television sitting between the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed Al Tayeb, and the country’s mufti, Shawqi Allam.
The cleric who gave the prayer sermon tried to console the relatives of the victims, saying the dead were now in paradise, while condemning > Over 300 people were killed in the mosque in Rawda village on November 24. > Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Daesh is seen as main suspect. > Field Army chief Khaled Mogawer, Grand Imam of Al the attackers as the “brothers of devils”.
“God wanted to take martyrs from you. Why, because God loves you,” said the preacher Abdel Fattal Al Awari. He recounted a saying by Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who, when asked whom God tests the most, Azhar Ahmed Al Tayeb, and country’s mufti Shawqi Allam were among those who attended Friday prayers after it was cleaned and renovated after the attack. > Dozens of other Muslims also attended Friday prayers. responded: “The prophets, followed by the most exemplary.”
Worshippers could be seen spilling out of the mosque into its plaza. Tayeb later gave a speech in which he described the attackers as “cowardly cancer”.
Daesh in Egypt had killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in attacks, and since last year more than 100 Christians in church bombings and shootings.
They had warned the mosque, which is associated with Sufis the militants call heretical, to stop holding mystical rites.
Witnesses and authorities had said the attackers were flying Daesh’s black banner, but the group has yet to claim the massacre decried even by its supporters.
Analysts and officials say Daesh, responsible for atrocities around the world, many not claim responsibility following the backlash even from hardliners.
Despite being a community in mourning, hundreds of Sufis in Cairo later on Friday celebrated the birth of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a Mawlid.—
Religious, army leaders attend Friday prayers