Al-Azhar has strongly condemned the attempt to target Makkah, the Qiblah of Muslims, saying that putting the sacred city at risk is a heinous crime, a sinful attack on a sanctity exalted by Allah and a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world.

In a statement on Wednesday, Al-Azhar said it is unthinkable that Makkah should become a battleground or face threats, stressing that the city's sanctity is a core tenet of Islam that must not be violated or approached with ill intent.

The security of the Two Holy Mosques, it said, is not a political or regional issue but a matter of faith for the whole Muslim Ummah. Endangering the city offends two billion Muslims and assaults the holy sites they face in prayer, travel to for Hajj and gather around whatever their homeland, school of thought, language or ethnicity.

Al-Azhar added that protecting the sanctity of the sacred city and the security and safety of its visitors is a duty for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.