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| Africa North |
| Azhar Imam condemns statements on tourism by 'religious extremists' |
| 2011-12-14 |
| [Al Ahram] The former deputy Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mahmoud Ashour responded to a recent wave of statements by various religious figures in Egypt regarding a wide range of issues, mainly to do with tourism and a ban on alcohol. Ashour's statement comes days after Nader Bakar, spokespersons of the Salafist ...Salafists espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam that seeks a return to practices that were common in the 7th century. Rather than doing that themselves and letting other people alone they insist everybody do as they say and they try to kill everybody who doesn't... Nour Party stated his party would ban alcohol for Egyptian nationals and foreigners in all hotels, unless they purchase it themselves and drink it privately. In an interview on Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel Monday evening, Ahsour stated that religious Death Eaters lack true understanding of Islamic law and should in fact look to famous Islamic leaders as role models. Ashour asserted that turban rhetoric is "ignorant and lacking [in] responsibility." "Amr Ibn Al-Ass [one of the prophet Mohammed's companions who conquered Egypt in the 7th century]... never spoke of the possibility of destroying ancient Pharaonic monuments [that some see as encouraging idolatry]," he stressed. On the topic of democracy, he pointed to a precedent for such a form of governance found in the Islamic principle of Shura, or consultation, which the Prophet Muhammad applied during his rule. A religious Fatwa endorsing political pluralism was announced on Monday by Dar Al-Ifta - the Islamic authority responsible for issuing religious edicts - as it was practiced under the rule of the prophet Mohammed and his disciples |
| Posted by:Fred |