Managing the Crisis of Insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Al-Azhar and France 24 Official Facebook Pages An Analytical Study of Al-Azhar and France 24 Facebook Official Pages

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professorof Public Relations and Advertising Faculty of Media, Al-Azhar University

Abstract

The present study aims at identifying the contents and propositions put forward via Al-Azhar and France 24 pages in their management of the crisis of insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It also aims at exploring the religious and international aspects on which the two pages focused. The study makes use of Media Survey and comparative analysis of media materials published on the crisis in the two pages (study sample).The researcher adopts a qualitative analysis through critical analysis of the contents of these pages (on Facebook).The results showed the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar's discontent and his call for suing Charles Abdo newspaper at international courts, because of these cartoons insulting the Prophet - Peace Be Upon Him - and enacting an international law that criminalizes insulting Prophet Muhammad - peace be upon him - and Muslims in general. The analysis also indicated that France has changed its stance against Islam according to what President Macron explained in his recent statements and speeches after the economic boycott of France's products by Middle East countries and the Arab and Islamic world' discontent with the French government stance. France has resorted to some ways to defuse the crisis. These include a visit by the French Foreign Minister to Egypt and his meeting with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar ;he held a press conference at office of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to get messages of friendliness and peace to Muslims saying: What we are fighting is terrorism and not Islam.

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