WATANI International
30 May 2010
Salem Abdel-Galil talks to Watani
Among modern Islamic scholars and preachers, Salem Abdel-Galil occupies a prominent position by virtue of his enlightened thought and uncompromising stances where extremist notions are concerned. As deputy to the Minister of Religious Endowments, he has made considerable contributions to a host of issues, many of which directly impact Copts as well as Muslims. Watani approached Dr Abdel-Galil with questions on many relevant issues.
Watani: To begin with, does the Religious Endowments Ministry have in place a specific plan to enhance national unity?
Dr Abdel-Galil: The ministry’s role in defending national unity starts with the selection of the best and brightest of the graduates of al-Azhar seminary to work as mosque imams and preachers. This way, we can be sure that a moderate, non-discriminatory religious address is propagated. A moderate address calls for acceptance of the other, whether that other is of different gender, colour, or religion.
Second, the ministry holds regular training sessions for the imams who preside over its mosques—and there are some 50,000 of these imams. They are drilled in the importance of propagating a religious address that calls for co-existence between the different persons of our one nation, that spreads compassion and peace among all the members of the human race, and that confirms the concept that all mankind are brothers under the skin.
Third; forums, lectures, and conferences are regularly held by the ministry, jointly with countless governmental and non-governmental organisations, to confirm these concepts with the public. We actively participate and interact with the media on that head, and we publish a series of booklets under the title “Correcting concepts”, for the benefit of preachers, to confront extremist notions and ascertain the significance of such concepts as national belonging and social peace.
Despite all that, we still find preachers who make it their business to attack the Christian faith and beliefs in their sermons.
True. But these are few in number and are non-Azharis, meaning they were not taught an enlightened culture either at al-Azhar or through the ministry’s training courses. This was the reason the ministry decided that no-one would be allowed to preach without a special licence from the ministry.
But this is not the case on the ground.
The problem is with the zawyas, the small, unofficial prayer houses or merely prayer places in one or another corner somewhere—‘zawya’ literally means corner. The ministry issued several rulings restricting activities in these zawyas to the five daily prayers and excluding the Friday prayers and spiritual lessons. Sadly, however, these rulings are enforced very infrequently, since the entrenched folk culture blesses ‘piety’—or rather, the outward symptoms of it—which shows clearly in the idea that the louder the voice the deeper the faith. Our rulings are thus more often than not seen as impediments placed in the way of those who wish to be closer to God.
So how can the problem be handled?
The only way is to work to change the prevalent culture, and to instil values of the proper understanding of religious texts and respect of the law. This can be done through the media.
There is a law which stipulates that no zawya may be built closer than 500m away from an existing mosque, and that no mosque may be built unless the population of an area exceeds 5000 individuals. Neither law is ever enforced, owing to the widespread false religiosity.
What is a Christian who hears his faith being insulted through a mosque microphone to do?
He or she should come with the complaint to our complaints office at the ministry. We usually ask the culprit preacher to come over, and discuss the matter with him calmly. If he responds he remains at his job; but if he does not, he should be no preacher. Our Book orders us to call people to God through wisdom and good preaching; the pulpit should not be used as an instrument of attack, but one for education, guidance, and better behaviour. I disagree with those who persist in criticising other beliefs; I would not build my house on the ruins of another.
If someone hears their faith insulted but is unable to come to us, he or she may contact their religious leadership which can then file an official complaint.
Talking of loud voices, why has it not been possible to implement a unified azan, called in a melodious voice and broadcast through the radio? [Azan is the Muslim call to prayer, usually blared through a microphone by any mosque imam, any individual in a zawya, or simply shouted by any person practically anywhere. The cacophony of overly loud, non-synchronised, non-trained voices is criticised by many Muslims.]
Strangely, the idea of a unified azan was confronted with powerful opposition from scholars and university professors [among whom a strong Islamist current is widespread], who persisted that azan cannot be broadcast as a recording but should be a live experience. Following discussions and debates, in which the Islamic Research Academy and the Fatwa House both supported a unified azan, it was decided to broadcast the azan live through the Holy Qur’an broadcast from Cairo. But the Qur’an Broadcast insisted it can only use its recordings of azan which, even though by some of the best imams to ever recite Qur’an, were not ‘live’. So we approached Radio Cairo and are working on the project with them.
In your opinion, what is the reason sectarian violence has escalated so much in Egypt?
There is definitely a prevalent state of public inflammation on the sectarian level. The reason can be attributed to the widespread poverty which affects the psychological and social life of individuals. This is why we hear today about crimes we never heard of before; sons killing their parents and parents killing their children. In the West, people live well together despite their differences, since they lead a comfortable life.
How does sharia view the building of churches?
In my opinion, there is nothing against the building of churches according to the community’s need; just as a minimal population requirement has been set for the building of a mosque. Since freedom of belief is granted to non-Muslims, it stands to reason that they should be granted the freedom to practice their belief. So Christians should be allowed to build churches once the population of a community exceeds the minimal requirement, especially given that Christians need a specific place to practise their rites and cannot do that anywhere, whereas Muslims need no particular place to pray.
But fatwas [Islamic legal opinion] vary so widely on this and various issues. Which begs the question of who are we to believe, and which opinion represents true Islam?
Conflicting fatwas are a disaster. Moreover, Muslims have no single character to represent them. There are too many Muslim religious leaders, some affiliated to governments, some to specific sects such as the salafi, the sufi, or the Muslim Brotherhood. I call on all Muslims worldwide to adopt al-Azhar as their major reference in Islamic affairs, since it is the oldest Islamic seminary standing today and the most moderate. It boasts a world-class academic base and, by the grace of God, a superbly-informed, wise, competent sheikh—Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyib—at its head.
We have demanded, and continue to demand, legislation that confronts the non-qualified deliverers of fatwa. In Egypt, we have the Fatwa House as an authority on fatwa. Other nations have their own fatwa authorities. As for the deluge of fatwas which we get over the satellite channels, all I can say is that I entreat those in charge of these channels to put the fear of God in their hearts, and ask fatwas only from the broadminded Azhari scholars who are qualified to deliver them.
How about the star telepreachers who are independent of the ministry but have a wide following?
The ministry has many preachers that can really reach stardom, but we do not have the means that are made available at the tip of the hands of the telepreachers.
In your opinion, why have Egyptians become so strict in their religious views?
The innate Egyptian nature is complaisant, tolerant, and moderate to the farthest limit. But we have, during the past decades, been the target of a cultural invasion financed by petrodollars, which has succeeded in introducing a version of strict, rigid Islamic thought as the utmost Islamic doctrine, and the only correct one. The truth is that, contrary to such thought, Islam is grounded in flexibility. It does not help that satellite channels owned by Gulf countries broadcast such material to Egypt. But there is a glimmer of hope; while al-Azhar is in the process of launching its own satellite channel, there is an independent channel called Azhari that broadcasts moderate Islamic thought.
What do you think of the rapid spread of niqab (the full face veil) in Egypt?
The niqab is one of the aspects of the cultural invasion that has overtaken us from the Gulf countries. When we witnessed the wide controversy it aroused we published a bulletin under the title Niqab is a custom not a form of worship. But the voices calling for niqab are obviously louder than ours.
…And female circumcision?
This is a more complicated issue since the practice is grounded in social tradition. I think we need time to phase it out.
Are there any Coptic religious endowments in the hands of the ministry?
No. The ministry has already handed the Church all the endowments that concerned it. Interestingly, many mosques and schools were built with endowments from Christians as well as Muslims, which only proves how intricately connected Egypt’s Muslims and Copts are.
How do you see the future of the religious situation in Egypt? More rigidity or a reversion to tolerance?
I believe we have reached the bottom of the trough; the only way now is upward.