[Reviewer’s Note: Article II of the Egyptian Constitution reads, “Islam is the official religion of the state, Arabic its official language and the principles of Islamic sharī’ah are the main source of legislation”. Salafists seek removing the word ‘principles’ or replacing it with the word ‘rulings’]

Yāsir Burhāmī, the first deputy chairman of the Salafī Da’wah (Call) board, discredited statements by former leading Muslim Brotherhood member Tharwat al-Khirbāwī that negotiations were underway between the group and the salafists to persuade them to go back on a fatwá that a Copt is not to be appointed as vice president.

“There are no negotiations. We accept Copts in the presidential cabinet as advisors to the president, but not as vice presidents,” said Burhāmī. [Ahmad Badrāwī, al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, July 7, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic