Lawsuit filed against Sheikh of Al Azhar and Egyptian Mufti
Egypt, Judicial, 1/21/1998

A lawsuit was filed with the South Cairo court by Egyptian attorney Abdel Halim Ramadan against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the Sheikh of Al Azhar Dr. Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, the Mufti of Egypt (Highest Religious Judge) Nasr Farid Wasel and Sheikh Mohamed Metawali Sharawy as a result of Tantawi's December talks with chief Israeli Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau at Al Azhar Mosque.

In his lawsuit, Ramadan asked for the point of view of the other parties involved in the suit toward the visit of the rabbi to Beit Alla Al Haram (the most sacred place in Saudi Arabia) and said if that visit is religiously illegitimate, then the rabbi's visit to Al Azhar mosque is religiously illegitimate as well, as it is one of the holy homes of God.

Ramadan based his suit on religious citations that prohibit such a reception at any of the homes of God (Mosques). He also based his suit on the assumption that the other parties violated a constitutional article which confirms that Egypt is an Islamic country. Ramadan asked for $5 billion that he said should be devoted to the restoration of Al Aqsa mosque in Palestine.

On the other hand, Al Azhar students criticized the rabbi's visit out of their rejection of dealings with Israel and their refusal of the normalization process.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan monarch invites chief Israeli rabbi to Morocco   (1/20/1998)
  Al-Azhar academy approves of Islamic-Jewish meeting   (12/31/1997)
  Egyptian - Qatari problems   (12/24/1997)

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