Around one thousand new members have joined Preacher Mohamed Hassan’s new party in Upper Egypt's Qena Governorate. The party, which Hassan has called to form, is named El-Asala (The Fundamentals).

Party member Hussein Shabaan said that the newly joined are going to act as founding members to the party and explained that the Salafi movement is known to be strong in Qena.

The most fundamental principle for the party, according to Shabaan, is the application of sharia (Islamic jurisprudence).