Scholars from the Azhar attacked demands by al-Nūr to add the phrase “the four Islamic doctrines” to Article II, noting the people asking for this addition “have flawed understanding of the Islamic sharī’ah”.

Former Muftī of the Republic Dr. Nasr Farīd Wāsil, a representative of the Azhar on the constitution panel, said there is no problem amending Article II to read “Islamic sharī’ah is the main source of legislation” instead of the words “principles” or “rulings,” pointing out that there is no problem either adding the phrase “non-Muslims may have recourse to their religious laws on personal status affairs”.

Dr. ‘Abd al-Mu’tī Bayūmī, a member of the Islamic Research Academy, said the salafists’ insistence to include the four doctrines of Islam (Shāf’ī, Hanbālī, Mālikī and Hanafī) is “flawed understanding of the Islamic sharī’ah”.

“The four doctrines had their time and their problems but now we live in an age that should be guided by principles, not doctrines,” said Bayūmī.

Midhat Qilādah, the chairman of the Coptic organizations union in Europe, meanwhile, called for removing Article II altogether on the ground that afflicted great harm on Copts.

Dr. Andrea Zakī, the deputy head of the Coptic Evangelical Church, said he is in favor of keeping Article II as it is while an item on non-Muslims’ right to have recourse to their own laws regarding personal status affairs could be added to the article on freedoms and rights. [Ahmad al-Buhayrī, ‘Imād Khalīl and Rashā al-Tahtāwī, al-Misrī al-Yawm, July 8, p. 4] Read original text in Arabic