Cairo is moving to prevent the establishment of a parallel-Azhar religious state

08/05/2016

Al-Azhar in Egypt, gradually turns into a parallel religious authority to the authority of the government, which has allowed, on multiple stages, clerics and elders working in this institution growing influence of interfering in the political, cultural, artistic and economic life and daily things for ordinary citizens.
Renewal of religious discourse efforts, says that leading figures in the Al-Azhar institution in the process of completion, any little progress, since Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly urged the religious establishment to spread the tolerant Islamic thought and did not make. But it seems that the patience of the formal system is running low. Sources in Cairo that influential figures in the Egyptian presidency wants the departure of Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb Al-Azhar, although the conflict between Al-Azhar and the Ministry of Awqaf and left the government is the face of outright State's response to the influence of Al-Azhar. But fears dominate the Egyptian institutions of good alternative. Sources in the Al-Azhar for "Arabs" that seven of the Senior Ulema, Sheikh Al-Azhar which to choose, in accordance with the Constitution of the members, intellectually belong to the Muslim Brotherhood. Article VII of the Egyptian Constitution that the independent Al-Azhar institution, the Islamic Group N isolation, which limits the authority of the head of state and parliament practically in directing the presbytery. Egyptian sources said that influential officials believe that any alternative to the good will be confined to Hassan El Shafei, a consultant and a member of the oldest in the senior scientists. And it enjoys Shafei (86 years) with the support of the Conservative members. The Shafi'i, who previously worked at the University of Omdurman in Sudan and the Islamic University in Pakistan, within the Muslim Brotherhood accused the cell of trying to assassinate the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1954 in a shooting incident Alexandria city center. A week after the isolation of the Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 after mass protests against his rule, Shafie issued a statement broadcast by Al-Jazeera in which the support of the Muslim Brotherhood, called for the integration of the group's political arm in public life. The failure of Al-Azhar in the face of ideas formed fuel for jihadists embrace massacres in the Middle East and Europe, to exit an unprecedented conflict between Al-Azhar official religious institutions in Egypt to the public. The charge of Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam and a beacon in the world, the Islamic Dawa official, according to the Egyptian constitution, but the Ministry of Awqaf and the Fatwa were of poor wide influence and official support large. He called Al-Azhar Fatwa freeze Islamophobia Observatory and extremist thinking, a trace of the Fatwa and monitors Fatawa militant and the body to respond to them. Informed sources said the "Arabs" The mandate of the Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawki Allam will end within months, although officials at Al-Azhar for pushing the non-renewal of his mandate for "ideological differences" between the two sides. Al-Azhar also contributed, less than two weeks, in infanticide committee "purification heritage", which announced the Ministry of Endowments for its foundation. And last month proposed a scientific committee of the endowments oblige imams standardized written a speech on Friday without consulting al-Azhar. And senior scientists rejected the proposal. It showed the cause of the sermon started bubbling struggle between influential clerics at Al-Azhar, the Egyptian Minister of Awqaf Mokhtar Gomaa, who enjoys the support of the official state institutions. Critics say the Sheikh of Al-Azhar that he allowed the religious establishment, after two years of call-Sisi to adopt a "religious revolution" against the traditional concepts, to switch to the "priesthood" has a religious increasingly hold sway in the community. Azhar and now enjoys considerable power over the artistic and cultural life. Last year, the organization did not hesitate to prosecute researcher Islam lacustrine, who gave religious interpretations contrary to the interpretation of Al-Azhar, prosecuted before it ends up in jail for a year. Al-Azhar also filed a complaint against the writer Fatima Naaot charges of "contempt of religion" after criticizing the sacrifice on Facebook. Sentenced to Naaot resident in Canada, later sentenced to three years and a fine. Sources told "Arabs," said al-Sisi warned Tayeb, in a meeting Wednesday reunion, of going too far in its war against the Ministry of Religious Endowments. The face-Azhar official institutions by giving wider powers for religious institutions "alternative" characters are not unanimous among the conservatives who dominate the camp of Al-Azhar. Sources said that the president appointed Osama al-Azhari, Sisi adviser for Religious Affairs and the young preacher known for his moderation, a member of the House of Representatives to represent the religious establishment is unhappy aide Tayeb. It is the right of the president set 5 percent of the total members of Parliament. But other clerics officials trapped differences in interpretations conflict. Said Mohamed Zaki, the Secretary General of the Supreme Commission for Preaching and reconciliations Azhar for "Arabs" that "differing visions between Al Azhar and Awqaf caused Mattlon and vandals know security and regulatory bodies well, without taking a stand against them, having worked on the escalating dispute between the two institutions, when they split up their duties and entrusted each overlapping tasks provoke controversy. " "The assignment of the task of renewing religious discourse and advocacy for more than leadership, has contributed to the severity of the difference amid a lack of agreement on whether the word, serving the call and the Muslim community."

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