Prominent Salafi leaders on Thursday reiterated calls for applying Islamic Sharia law in Egypt in place of the man-made laws currently governing the country. In a conference held by the Salafi-led Asala Party in Matariya neighborhood in Cairo, Salafi leaders lambasted those opposing the application of Islamic Sharia as "adulterers, thieves and immoral people." Sheikh Shehab al-Din Ahmed said that it is time for the Egyptian people to vote for the party and the candidate that seek to apply Sharia, adding that it would be "a shame to ignore Islamic candidates." All the Egyptian people want the return of Islamic principles to society in order to spread justice and mercy among the people, Ahmed claimed. Although Prophet Muhammad said that although a person should not demand authority but should be given it without asking, a fatwa issued by Islamic scholars says that it is the duty of leaders to request authority for the purpose of applying Islamic rules. He added that God would punish them on the Day of Resurrection if they did not. He indicated the existence of an anti-Egyptian conspiracy to keep people away from religion. "The application of the French law in Egypt spread evils and corrupted the country morally, politically and economically, so there's no other substitute for applying the Sharia," he said. Mamdouh Ismail, Vice President of Asala Party said: “The enemies of Islamists in Egypt and abroad are preparing for a war to exclude us from political life so that we don't apply Sharia.” Prominent Salafi preacher Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud spoke in the same strain. "The people who don't recognize Islamic Sharia won't enter paradise,” he said, “because those who object to Islamic law don't love God. And those who don't love God don't enter paradise.” Participants raised banners that read: “With our soul and blood we sacrifice for Islam,” “The people want God's law," and "Egypt is Islamic." Translated from the Arabic Edition
