CAIRO – Egyptian scholars,
officials and tourism workers denounced a fatwa – recently issued by Egyptian
cleric Morgan Salem al-Gohari – that calls on Egyptians to destroy the country's
pyramids and the Sphinx.
A member of a Salafi jihadist group called for the destruction of the pyramids.
Shown above is the Sphinx. [Reuters]
Al-Gohari, a member of a Salafi jihadist group, said he wants these antiquities
demolished, just as the Prophet Mohammed destroyed the idols he found upon his
conquest of Makkah.
During an interview that aired on Egyptian satellite channel Dream TV, al-Gohari
likened the Egyptian landmarks to the Buddha statues that were demolished in
Afghanistan.
He also equated those who work in the tourism sector to those who work "in
prostitution and debauchery" and demanded that the tourism ministry be
abolished.
The Fatwa Committee at Al-Azhar rejected the fatwa, saying antiquities are part
of the country's culture.
Dr. Mahmoud al-Jabali, sharia law professor at Al-Azhar University, said the
fatwa and others like it have no basis in religion.
Al-Jabali said such edicts violate sharia and Koranic teachings and profoundly
contradict with the true interpretation of the Koran (tafseer) and the Prophet's
Sunnah.
"At the onset of Islam, the [original motive] behind smashing idols was
preventing people from worshiping and praying to them instead of God," he told
Central Asia Online. "This is not the case with Egyptian antiquities, especially
the pyramids, the Sphinx and the statues of Luxor, for neither Egyptians nor
tourists do such things."
"The pyramids are mentioned in the Koran as great and important relics, [by way
of] the phrase 'pharaohs with the edifices', where the term 'edifices',
interpreters agree, refers to the pyramids," al-Jabali said.
Antiquities Minister Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim said in a press statement on November
17th that he does not honour any fatwa issued by any party other than official
government bodies and Al-Azhar.
The law will be enforced firmly and emphatically against anyone who tries to
harm antiquities that are protected by law, he said.
"The ministry is implementing a security plan in co-ordination with the Tourism
and Antiquities Police to protect our cultural treasures in all the provinces
against any attempt to harm Egypt's antiquities," he said.
Fatwa 'tarnishes Islam'
Mahmoud Sami, director of a tourism company and member of the Egyptian Chamber
of Tourism, told Central Asia Online the fatwa adversely affects Egypt's
position on the world tourism map, especially since news agencies and newspapers
circulated the fatwa story and linked it to the destruction of antiquities in
Afghanistan and Mali.
He called on the media to "deal wisely and rationally with such nonsense – those
who disseminate them seek only to gain fame and to capture the spotlight by
stirring controversy."
Workers in the tourism sector submitted dozens of complaints to the Egyptian
Attorney General against Sheikh al-Gohari. They accused him of defamation and
libel and of undermining public and national security, Sami said.
Sheikh Abdel Moneim Mohammed, imam of al-Nour mosque in Cairo's Maadi district,
echoed his sentiment.
He said he is astonished by such fatwas, which tarnish both true Salafi advocacy
and Islam.
"Many claim to be part of the Salafi advocacy, but a distinction must be made
between Salafi advocacy that calls for following the example of our righteous
ancestors, and jihadi Salafi advocacy affiliated with terrorist organisations,
like al-Qaeda and others," he said.
"These operate according to political agendas that aim to sow chaos and
destruction and spread unrest and terrorism," he added.
Sheikh Mohammed said Egyptian youth will not allow such ideas to spread, for
during the chaos that accompanied the country's revolution, many young people
protected the Egyptian museum and antiquities.
Al-Azhar is the only authority in Egypt whose fatwas people honour, because it
is the only legitimate body authorised to issue them, he added.