CAIRO: The Islamic concept of Jihad, holy war, is misunderstood as a basis to force people into Islam, said Ahmed al-Tayeb, the head sheikh of Al-Azhar. Islamic Jihad is not a means to force people of other religions to convert to Islam, said al-Tayeb. Islamic Jihad is about defending the truth and not coercing others to convert to Islam and how it strives to prevent any abuse or massacres seen worldwide today. Al-Tayeb explained the concept of Islamic Jihad during a meeting in his office with a delegation from the British House of Commons. The meeting was attended by Mohammed al-Sheikh; a member of the House of Lords, Lord McNair; Advisor to the House of Commons, Christina Dykes; President of the national conservative convention, Fabiona Hood; and President of the Arab Action Network conservative in the British House of Commons, Wafik Moustafa. The delegation expressed their understanding of al-Tayeb's explanation regarding Islam and its principles of tolerance and understanding.
