Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to visit Oman

Grand Imam of Cairo's al-Azhar Mosque, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, has left the Egyptian capital ahead of a two-day visit to Oman. The delegation is aimed at promoting religious ties between the two countries. It also marks al-Tayeb's first visit to the Sultanate. "Is this not one of the best ways to spread al-Azhar's message?" al-Tayeb said, responding to earlier reports by what he called "media sceptics." Some within Egypt's media had claimed there were political motivations for the visit, amid perceived attacks on the Sunni religious institution by the ruling Muslim Brotherhood under President Mohammed Morsi.