the Al-Azhar Mosque and entrance to the university. Photo: Wikipedia.

In 2009, during his Cairo speech, President Obama said:

I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning; and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt’s advancement….As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam. It was Islam — at places like Al-Azhar — that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment.

Today, we can see exactly how enlightened Al Azhar University is.

The president of Al-Azhar University, Dr. Abd El-Hay Azab, while re-opening the university dormitory following last year’s violence, demanded students read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion to get familiarity with conspiracies the nation is facing.

“I swear to God there is a new colonial war that is targeting our youth in order to destroy your country and homes with your hands,” he said, warning the youth against “institutions of fitna” (other religious institutions with different agendas), and requesting they read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion to fortify themselves against such conspiracies.

He also said, “Zionists are working for the security of Israel through [creating] instability in the region, particularly Egypt,” saying that this was a conspiracy against all Muslims and pointing out that these are conspiracies against religion in general and against Al-Azhar in particular, as they are spreading the idea that Al-Azhar is a stronghold of terrorism.