If you went to the Traffic Department to get a driver's license, you would discover that there are three licenses; one for private cars, another for passenger cars, and a third for buses and trucks. If I had President Mubarak's telephone number, I would advise him to apply this law to the issuance of fatwas (religious opinions), and giving licenses to newspapers and TV programs. This is the only solution to Egypt's problems. This is a proposal by an illiterate old man, who is known for his wittiness. I meet him when I travel to Upper Egypt. Although his remarks seem to be simple, they have great ideas. He made this proposal when I asked him: What do you think about the revolution in the media, the issuance of unstudied fatwas, and the increasing number of newspapers? My interview with the old man ran to the following effect
I said: Could you tell me the relationship between traffic on the one hand and fatwas and newspapers on the other. The old man: The unspecialized people, who know nothing about the Koran and Sharia (Islamic jurisprudence), should not make fatwas. They have the right to advise their relatives, wives and children. But if they issued public fatwas, they should be given a yellow card like footballers and then be dismissed. To cut a long story short, we should not allow these unspecialized persons to issue fatwas. I said: What are the qualifications of a good mufti? The old man: The mufti should be reputable and wise. In addition, he should memorize Koran and Hadith (oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad). He should be tested every two years like bus drivers. If he failed, the license – he previously got to issue fatwas, should be cancelled. The unspecialized muftis are like those who have driver's license for a private care, but they drive trucks paying no attention to the great danger they cause to who follow and believe them. In fact, there is chaos in traffic in fatwas.
I said: What about newspapers and talk show programs? How can we link them to traffic? The old man: Look, Dr. Fandy (I always be cautious when he give me a title), some people whose TV programs are successful in terms of culture and education are not qualified. Their programs provide "nonsense". How can an "illiterate" man like me be interviewed in a talk show program? In fact, what we say in our interview now is better than what is said in such programs! These unqualified people are like those who can not drive a private car or a tractor! I said: Shouldn'tt we give them a chance? The old man: We should deal with them like drivers. We should give them two chances and then dismiss them. The old man stood up suddenly as if a snake bit him and said: "These few unspecialized persons move from a TV channel to another to issue their unstudied fatwas. Indeed, many ordinary people know more than them. I said: What about newspapers?
The old man: Newspapers are also like drivers. When we give these yellow papers license, we are like those who allow a driver of a tractor to drive trucks and buses. If I had President Mubarak's telephone number, I would tell him that the traffic law should be applied to fatwas, talk show programs and newspapers in Egypt. This is the only solution. This is the proposal of the old man, who left angrily when I smiled. He wrongly thought that it was a ridiculous smile.
