Al-Azhar Proposed Bill of Rights Gains Widespread Support By Egyptian Political Parties

Daily News Egypt reports that on Wednesday, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, the Salafi Al-Nour Party, Al Wafd, and many liberal parties all signed onto a bill of rights drafted by the prestigious Muslim religious institution, al-Azhar. Bikya Masr says that the document took 3 months to draft. It was the collaborative work of Islamic scholars, Christian scholars and secular leaders. The document was also endorsed by a number of candidates for Egypt's presidency. The document, according to al-Azhar head Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, "preserves freedoms of worship, opinion, scientific research and art and creative expression." In a nod to conservative Islamists, the document also provides that the arts must not "contradict religious sentiments and established social mores."  Hassan El-Shafei, El-Tayeb’s consultant, said: "We do not want Egypt to be an Islamists state, but we also do not want Egypt to be a non Islamic state; we want Egypt as a modern democratic state that is based on Islamic values."