The promise of newly elected President of Egypt Mohammad Morsi of keeping Egypt a Secular State gets fulfilled as the parliament passes a new amendment in its constitution, declaring Islamic Shariah as the fundamental source of legislation, but also stating that any institution of the state would not be allowed to intervene in the matters of the religion. Thus, separating the matters of state from the matters of religion and upholding secularism in the country.

It is very unfortunate that Islamists in Egypt have not taken a lesson from Pakistan’s constitutional history. Pakistan’s constitution, which was written in 1973, clearly mentions that no law contrary to Islamic injunctions will be legislated, however, after almost forty years, Pakistan is still far away from implementing Islam completely in all aspects of life. Similarly, instead of saying that the Quran and Sunnah will be the only source of ‘law’, Egypt’s Islamist government opted to say that Islamic Sharia will be basic source of ‘legislation’.
This statement will provide the reason for all un-Islamic laws to remain or become law of the land, because they have not said that Sharia will be the only source of law. Furthermore, they have accepted the un-Islamic notion of separation of religion and the state when they amended a law and defined that no organ of the state will interfere in religious matters.
It means that Salah, Hajj or moon sighting are religious matters but economy, ruling, judiciary, foreign policy and education are non-religious matters. That is why they agreed to take a 4.5 billion dollar IMF loan, announcing that Egypt will remain a secular state and also announced that Egypt will continue to honor Camp David pact with Israel. They also announced that the numerous beach resorts will be developed and they did not expel any American or western diplomats when these states defended the right to slander our Holy Prophet (saw).
SYED HASSAM AHMED, Karachi,
 October 7.