Recent serious statements made by Dr. Salīm al-'Awā that "the term Islamist current or Islamists is not exclusive to some Muslims but rather expands to include all Muslims because all Muslims belong to the Islamist current, which represents 94% of the people" really calls for a pause.

These statements, if put into context with earlier ones by Dr. 'Awā in which he claimed that Copts in Egypt represent only 6% of the total population, would mean that 'Awā has divided the Egyptian society on a sectarian, not a political, basis although at present all talk and remarks must revolve around politics, not religion.

'Awā, a presidential hopeful, has violated with these remarks one of the rules governing any presidential candidate, which is he/she must pledge to be a president for all Egyptians without any bias but actually his statements show that he was in favor of a certain religious group.