Egypt eulogizes Sheikh Sharawe
Egypt, People, 6/19/1998

Egyptian Sheikh Muhammad Mutwali Sharawe died Wednesday in Cairo. He was known for his simple style in explaining the teachings of both Islam and the Koran. He won great popularity that made of him a famous TV star, despite his various controversial legislation and political stances.

He was eulogized by President Hosni Mubarak, who noted his unique way of attracting millions of people. Al-Azhar Imam Sheikh Muhammad Sayed Tantawi said, "Times will seldom bring one like him," whereas the secretary general of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mustafa Mashhour, said "Sharawe's prints on Islamic teachings are unmatchable."

Egyptian TV stopped its ordinary programs to announce news of al-Sharawe's death at 87, and said his death is "a great loss for Egypt and for the Arab and Islamic worlds." Egyptian TV did not mention reasons behind his death, but MENA said he used to have breathing problems.

Sharawe excelled in audio-visual recordings in which gained great fame in various parts of the Islamic world. He won several prizes from Arab states including the "King Faisal Prize." He was selected by the Islamic World League in Mecca as member of its constituent commission.

Among the books he authored was "Major Fatwa," which is a jurisprudence encyclopedia that tackles some 400 cases. His book "God's impulse in the miracle of Koran" was the first book to be published in both Arabic and English in Saudi Arabia. Some 5 million copies of the book was distributed in Europe and the UAE and one million copies in Arabic.

Under the reign of the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Sheikh Sharawe, who had been accused of supporting normalization with Israel, assumed the post of the Minister of al-Awqaf (Islamic Trust) from 1976 to 1978. During the 1960's, his relations with late President Jamal Abdul Nasser were not good. The Sheikh, who then worked at al-Azhar, opposed Egyptian-Russian relations.

When Israel launched its aggression against Egypt in 1967, Sharawe said "Thanks God" as he was with the conception that the Egyptian victory in the war would make of Egypt a "communist" state.

Sharawe was born on April 15, 1911. He assumed several posts. He is survived by one son, Sheikh Sami, who works in al-Azhar and two daughters. A huge funeral ceremony was held for him at his birthplace Meit Ghamr in al-Daqahliyah province. Egyptian al-Awqaf Minister Hamdi Zaqzouq said state officials took part in the funeral ceremony.

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