Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The Maspero Youth Union (MYU) announced a stand of protest on the outside the Syndicate of Journalists headquarters under the rubric No For Devastation Of the State Of Law to condemn excesses against the local residents in al-‘Āmirīyah, western Alexandria, and calls to expel 45 Christian families from the district on Friday. [Usāmah Ramadān, Rose al-Yūsuf newspaper, Feb. 2, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic

Ann Emil Zakī, a 35-year-old mother of four, adamantly insisted to become the first Egyptian woman to be ordained as priest right after she finished her theological studies. [Mīrā Mamdūh, Rose al-Yūsuf magazine, Jan. 28-Feb. 3, pp. 58-59] Read original text in Arabic

The government approved on Wednesday (January 18) a draft decree law to re-organize the Azhar and its affiliated bodies, known as the Azhar Independence Law, according to Minister of Planning & International Cooperation Fāyzah Abū al-Najā. [Mansūr Kāmil, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Jan. 19, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic

Judges delegated by the Court of Appeal to investigate the October 9 clashes that left 24 killed and 350 others wounded accused Hānī ‘Azīz, Secretary General of Egypt Lovers and Peace Society (ELPS) of stoking chaos in the streets and fitnah tā'ifīyah. [Hātim al-Jahmī, al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Jan. 7, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic 

The Azhar vehemently rejected the setting up of a so-called Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), asserting that the top Sunni Muslim establishment is the only Muslim reference concerned with religious affairs in Egypt. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Ahrām, Jan. 5, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic

The committee concerned with the law on developing the Azhar finalized the draft and will refer it to the Islamic Research Academy. The development includes restructuring the senior ulema board and choosing the Azhar’s Grand Shaykh among them. [Muhammad 'Abd al-Khāliq, al-Ahrām, Dec. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic  

Coptic businessman Najīb Sawirus said the Muslim Brotherhood’s attacks on him and “false allegations” is yet another episode in the MB’s standard practice of turning political rivalry into religious battles. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Dec. 24, p. 8] Read the original text in Arabic 

Supporters of the Salafī al-Nūr (Light) Party in al-Beheira governorate handed out fliers in which they urged voters to cast their ballots in favor of the party and that anyone not voting for al-Nūr would be "a sinner in the heart, profligate and dishonest because they letting down the party that seeks implementing the sharī'ah (Muslim law) of Allāh." [Al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, Dec. 22, p. 3] Read the original text in Arabic

Presidential hopeful Muhammad Salīm al-'Awā said he agreed that an elected president of the republic may be a Copt or a woman as long as this is the will of the people in free fair elections. Read the original text in Arabic

Salafist leaders and preachers considered as "great conquest and the start to lay the basis of Islamic state" the downfall of Shaykh 'Abd al-Mun'im al-Shahāt, the official spokesman for the Salafī Da'wah (Call) group, accusing the Muslim Brotherhood youths of being behind the campaign to distort the image of al-Nūr (Light) Party.