In an involuntary situation, Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, Sheikh of Al Azhar, and Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Saint Mark See, fell into deep sleep during the opening session of the 21st international conference of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, which is held under the theme "Renewal of Islamic thought". The two grand scholars were affected by the quietness that overshadowed the meeting. Tantawi and Shenouda fell into deep sleep immediately after President Mubarak's speech, which was delivered by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif on his behalf. Mubarak's word called for renewing the Islamic thought and speech to suit the new developments around the globe, stressing that "Today's world has no place for the isolated".
Mubarak said the moderation of the Islamic law enabled it to respond to people at all times and places because Islam encourages innovation and refuses isolation.
Tantawi and Shenouda were in a deep sleep during the speech of Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq, Minister of Endowments, and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference.