Date of source: Thursday, May 27, 1999 to Wednesday, June 2, 1999
The Emir of Kuwait has issued a decree enfranchising women to vote and stand for public office in 2003. Opposition to the decree was immediate from the groups in opposition to the government, some of it on religious grounds.
Date of source: Thursday, May 27, 1999 to Wednesday, June 2, 1999
Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni managed, to a large extent, on Sunday [May 23, 199], to win the support of Shura Council members for some of his decisions, especially the relocation of the Museum of Islamic Arts to the Citadel area and the organization of an international celebration to...
Date of source: Thursday, May 27, 1999 to Wednesday, June 2, 1999
The minister of justice has announced new restrictions on the marriage of Egyptian women to foreign men, many of whom are Saudis. But the proposal has come under fire from many quarters. It could push men to seek an Urfi marriage.
Date of source: Thursday, May 27, 1999 to Wednesday, June 2, 1999
The unprecedented rise in the number of Urfi marriages among university students has prompted the Islamic Research Academy to condemn the practice as illegitimate. However, if all Urfi marriages become illegal (haram) as stipulated in the statement made by the IRA, this could block one of the most...
Date of source: Tuesday, May 25, 1999
Members of parliament asked for more clarification concerning the issue of the curriculum produced by the Ibn Khaldoun Centre that was supposedly accepted and approved by the Minister of Education Dr. Hussein Kamal Bahaa’ Eddin.
Date of source: Wednesday, May 26, 1999
[Also repeated in Al-Ahrar May 26, 1999]
Dr. Nasr Farid Wasel, the State Mufti of Egypt, says there is no dispute over the intercession of the Prophet Mohammed for Muslims on the Day of Judgment and gives two Qur’anic references to back his stance.
Date of source: Tuesday, May 25, 1999
An answer to an article written in Al-Ahram on May 5, 1999 by Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud in which he said that intercession [by the Prophet Mohammed for Muslims on the Day of Judgment] is not valid and this is because the holy verses [in the Qur’an] contradict the Hadith.
Date of source: Sunday, May 23, 1999
Names are surely of little real political consequence but in the Middle East, they do play a significant role.
Date of source: Thursday, May 20, 1999 to Wednesday, May 26, 1999
The author reviews the new NGO bill’s controversial provisions as well as its positive aspects.
Date of source: Thursday, May 20, 1999 to Wednesday, May 26, 1999
Disbelief, anger and disappointment best describe the reactions of many NGOs to the draft bill.