Al-Azhar to remain unchanged under new Egypt constitution

The status of Islamic Sharia law and Al-Azhar will remain unchanged under Egypt's new constitution, the Constituent Assembly's official website said Wednesday. Salafist Nour Party members on the assembly had been pushing for Article two of the 1971 constitution to be altered  to make the "Islamic Sharia" – rather than the "principles" of Islamic Sharia –  the major source of legislation. However, this idea was eventually rejected. The new constitution draft has also been amended removing article 3 which makes  Al-Azhar and its Council of Leading Clerics the point to define what applies or does not apply with Islamic Sharia. The role of Islamic Sharia law and Al-Azhar have been a source of controversy within the assembly, with Salafists pushing for a greater role for both under the new constitution.