Asharq Al-Awsat reported yesterday that Egypt's 50-member constitution drafting committee remains split over several issues relating to Egypt's religious identity. According to a drafting committee member, Egypt's Coptic Christian community is concerned about Article 2 of the current Egyptian constitution that provides: “The state’s religion is Islam, its language is Arabic, and Islamic Shari’a is the source of its legislation.” However Al-Azhar wants the provision to remain in order to defend Egypt's Islamic identity.
Also at issue is Article 219 provides: "The principles of Islamic Shari’a include its commonly accepted interpretations, its fundamental and jurisprudential rules, and its widely considered sources, as stated by the schools of Sunna and Gamaa."... Liberals and secularists object to this provision, while the Salafist Al-Nour Party wants it to remain in the constitution.
Article 3 of the current constitution provides that "the canon principles of the People of the Book [Jews, Christians and Muslims] are the main source of legislation for their [respective] personal status laws, religious affairs and the selection of their spiritual leaders." Disagreement continues over the wording of this clause. Egypt’s Coptic, Orthodox and Evangelical churches want "People of the Book" to be changed to "non-Muslims," while Al-Azhar and the Al-Nour Party want it to refer to "Christians and Jews." Al-Azhar is concerned that the broader-term "non-Muslims" would open the country to exploitation by other religions and sects.
