Al-Azhar headquarters in Cairo
The statement came in response to inquiries received by Al-Azhar regarding its position on the draft law and the discussions sparked by some of its articles across media outlets and social media.
Al-Azhar stated that it had submitted its own proposed personal status law in April 2019, reflecting its religious vision on the issue through a committee of senior scholars and specialized professors.
However, Al-Azhar is unaware of the extent to which this proposal aligns with the current draft law under discussion, the statement confirmed.
Al-Azhar’s media center added that the institution will express its religious opinion on the draft law in accordance with constitutional and legal norms once it is officially referred to it by the House of Representatives for review.
The statement comes amidst growing controversy over provisions in Egypt’s new personal status draft law, with several articles sparking heated debate on social media.
Supporters say the proposed law represents a victory for women’s and children’s rights, promotes social justice, and reflects modern societal developments.
Critics, however, argue that some provisions contradict Islamic law and social traditions, while favouring one side over the other.
In late April, the cabinet approved a draft unified family law for referring it to the parliament, part of a broader push to update long-delayed personal status rules.
The decision follows earlier directives from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to fast-track draft laws on family affairs to the parliament, as public debate over personal status legislation recently intensified following a widely reported death in Alexandria.
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