Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayyeb has urged Egyptians to take part in the parliamentary vote, whose first phase starts on Monday, warning that people who fail to attend the polls are "sinners."
In a meeting at his office with Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Tayyeb said citizens need to vote for their representatives in order for the country to overcome its current crisis.
Qaradawi said participation in the vote has become a religious duty imposed by the reality of the current situation. He warned citizens against selling their votes and asked them to support the best candidates.
He called upon demonstrators to attend the vote and go back to protesting later.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
