CAIRO — It seems the Egyptian authorities have been promoting the participation of both Muslims and Copts in the building of houses of worship as a standard to achieve peaceful coexistence in the country since the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood regime on July 3, 2013. In this context, politicians and media outlets hailed the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of Qena’s Feb. 7 decision to donate funds for the completion of Al-Numani Mosque’s construction works.

Despite the political and social praise of the church’s donation to the construction of the mosque, fatwas and calls to include Muslims in the construction of churches, through donations or construction work, continue to raise controversy.

That is what happened on Feb. 3, when parliament Undersecretary Mohamed Abul Enein called, in a speech before the minister of religious endowments in parliament, for raising awareness among Egyptians to accept Muslims taking part in the construction of churches, and Christians of mosques.

Abul Enein’s statement came days after Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawki Allam issued a fatwa Jan. 24, allowing Muslims to work and take part in the construction of a church in return for a salary.