Dr. Hassan al-Shāf’ī, the leader of the Azhar delegation in the assembly, said that Egyptians want a constitution that would guarantee basic rights and freedoms for all citizens regardless of religion, race or any other consideration.

“This new constitution should help Egypt restore its role in the region and underline its identity and values. The talk about the rulings of the sharī’ah or full commitment to them is irrelevant because the Egyptian society is not ready for this stage yet,” said Shāf’ī in an interview. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Ahrām, July 22, p. 22] Read original text in Arabic