Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed el Tayyeb said Tuesday Nigeria's Boko Haram and similar terrorist groups have nothing to do with Islam.

Islam has never been a religion of murder, violence or demolition, but a religion that promotes life, peace, compassion and construction, the grand imam said in an international press conference held in Abuja.

We are not politicians, and Al-Azhar does not deal with politics, he added.

The grand imam hailed the level of cooperation maintained by Al-Azhar and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs to confront terrorism.

Tayeb said that Al-Azhar carries a message of peace brought by Islam.

He called on the African countries to unite in their goals and efforts to meet the aspirations and hopes of the continent's people. 

Source : MENA