Younis Makhyoun, leader of the Salafi-oriented Nour Party, has condemned clashes on the campus of Al-Azhar University, after students stormed administrative offices on Wednesday.
Makhyoun said in a statement Thursday he followed the "regrettable" developments on Wednesday.
"We condemn these actions, behaviors and practices that have nothing to do with either Islam or any form of the expression of opinion," Makhyoun said in the statement.
Makhyoun called on everybody to bear in mind "higher interests" at a critical time in Egypt's history.
Muslim Brotherhood supporters at Al-Azhar stormed administrative buildings on Wednesday, closing the doors with chains and detaining university head Osama al-Abd and campus security and employees inside.
Police forces entered the campus on Wednesday afternoon after prosecutors approved a request from Abd to allow security forces to intervene.
