[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’]

Dr. Yūnis Makhyūn, a member of the higher committee of al-Nūr (Light) and a member of the constitution-drafting assembly, said Islamists had expected the Azhar to be led by people who would advocate the sharī’ah.

“The Azhar has let us down in the statement it issued as it called for having the principles of the sharī’ah as the main source of legislation. We, however, call on the Shaykh of the Azhar to issue another statement to explain what is meant by the word ‘principles’ and why he sticks to it,” said Makhyūn. [Hamdī Dabash, ‘Usāmah al-Mahdī, Ghādah Muhammad al-Sharīf and Sharīf al-Dawākhlī, al-Misrī al-Yawm, July 8, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic