Meanwhile, Dr. Husayn al-Shāf’ī, chief advisor of to the Grand Shaykh of the Azhar and Chairman of the Arabic Language Academy, rejected a draft law on the re-organization of the top Sunnī establishment.

“The person who submitted the draft law wants to have the appointment of the grand shaykh through election, which would damage the Azhar,” Shāf’ī said.

Muhammad ‘Abd al-Salām, a legal advisor for the grand shaykh, also objected to the 2nd article of the draft that strips the Azhar of its right to be the ultimate reference on all issues related to the Muslim faith.

However, MP ‘Alī Qatāmish of the Salafī al-Nūr Party said the draft seeks the independence of the Azhar, adding the draft also seeks the election of the Muftī of the Republic after the post becomes vacant. [Khālid Idrīs, al-Wafd, May 8, p. 4] Read text in Arabic