[Reviewer’s Note: Article II of the Egyptian Constitution of 1971 reads, “Islam is the official religion of the state, Arabic its official language and the principles of Islamic sharī’ah are the main source of legislation”. Salafists sought removing the word ‘principles’ or replacing it with the word ‘rulings’]

The basic mainstays committee in the constitution-writing assembly tabled a proposal on keeping Article II intact along with the addition of two new articles on having the Azhar as the reference for interpretation of the principles of the sharī’ah and the recourse of followers of other heavenly religions to their own religious laws on matters of personal status and election of their spiritual leaders. [Muhammad Gharīb, al-Misrī al-Yawm, July 26, p. 1] Read text in Arabic