In Egypt, Fatwas Proliferate-- And Some Are Embarrassing

Tuesday's New York Times carried an interesting piece on the numerous fatwas issued by Muslim religious authorities in Egypt. In the country, two official institutions are responsible for issuing fatwas -- rulings that apply Islamic law to all aspects of life. One of those institutions, Dar Al-Ifta, is formally under the Ministry of Justice. The other is Al Azhar University. There has also been an explosion of other places offering fatwas to those seeking interpretations of Islamic law. The article focuses on some recent rulings that have been embarrassing in light of modern cultural notions.