Egyptian Independent reported yesterday that drafters have reached an agreement on the language for Egypt's new constitution regarding the place of Islam and the role of Islamic law. The committee of Egypt's Constituent Assembly charged with drafting constitutional provisions on the basic components of the state is proposing the following as Articles 1 and 2 of the new Constitution:
1. The Arab Republic of Egypt is democratic, consultative, constitutional, and modernized; based on separation of powers and principal of citizenship, it is part of the Arabic and Islamic nation and tied to the African continent.
2. Islam is the religion of the state, and Arabic is its official language, and the principles of Islamic Sharia are the main source for legislation. Christians and Jews shall resort to legislation derived from their own religions.
"Principles of Islamic Sharia" will be interpreted by Al-Azhar. (See
prior related posting.)
