Disagreements between the Salafi-oriented Nour Party and the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party have escalated over the text of the second article of Egypt's anticipated constitution.
The Nour Party has threatened to withdraw from the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the constitution and to rally "millions" of opponents of the anticipated document if drafters fail to amend its second article, which stipulates that the "principles" of Islamic sharia are the main source of legislation.
The party insists on removing the word "principles", making Islamic sharia the main source of legislation and thus guaranteeing a more extensive application of Islamic law, but the FJP supports keeping the article as is.
Senior Nour Party leader and constituent assembly member Younis Makhyoun told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Salafis will reject any constitution that is at odds with Sharia and maintains Article 2 in its current form.
Makhyoun said the failure to remove the word "principles" would give the chance to the Supreme Constitutional Court to interpret Sharia.
But Ali Abdel Fattah, an FJP leader, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Brotherhood opposes any change to the article, and added that the term "principles" involves all forms of justice and integrity.
Abdel Fattah pointed out that the Supreme Constitutional Court has nothing to do with the interpretation of the article which, he said, does not require any clarification.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
