CAIRO: The head of al-Azhar in Egypt – the Sunni Islamic world's top religious institution – has called for a Bill of Rights ahead of creating a new constitution this year. In the document put forth on Tuesday, Ahmed el-Tayeb, called for a document that upholds freedom of expression and belief before lawmakers are to put pen to paper in inking a new constitution following last year's ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. Al-Azhar hopes the document, which The Associated Press reported was three months in the making and was the collaborative work of both Islamic scholars and secular leaders, will enable the institution to exert force as conservative groups gain power in the country. It also comes as the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm, The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and the ultra-conservative al-Nour Salafist party, have won the lion's share of votes in the first election in the post-Mubarak era, increasing fears that Islamic identities will be put into the new constitution. “We need a new revolution or something that brings together all parties in this country,” George Ishaq, a leading political figure and member of the National Coalition for Change, told Bikyamasr.com. “As we push on, the military must go and we must guarantee the rights of all Egyptians no matter what they believe or what they say. This will be the new Egypt, but right now, I am not convinced,” he added. Al-Azhar hopes the document will be able to support the change Egyptians died for during the 18 days of uprising last January and February. It also has the backing of the country's intellectuals. A previous document by Al-Azhar, also backed by intellectuals, supported the Arab revolutions and the public's rights to democratic change. But now, as the military junta appears entrenched in power, and the Islamists showing massive gains in the recent elections, worries abound over the rights of minority groups. Activist Farid Fahmy told Bikyamasr.com that “a lot of the struggle will continue and we believe in democracy and the rights for people, but with so much of the military taking power and the Islamists claiming victory, it will be hard.” El-Tayeb told reporters the bill of rights, which “preserves freedoms of worship, opinion, scientific research and art and creative expression,” was drafted to be a “basis for the country's new constitution,” according to comments published by Egypt's state news agency MENA. He argued that Islamic rulings protect freedom of religion and guarantee equal citizenship rights, in a message to Egypt's increasingly frustrated and worried Christian minority. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/THgkD Tags: Al Azhar, Bill of Rights, featured Section: Egypt, Latest News, Religion
