The
Jurisprudence Research Committee which is affiliated to the Islamic
Research Section of Al Azhar said that after studying the proposal
submitted by the Egyptian National Assembly, it emphasized that the
“Islamic Shariaa prohibits the sale, consumption and dealing of
alcohol with clear evidence. That is why we ask the council to approve
the law proposal and its penalties.”
The
Jurisprudence Research Committee asked for a committee to be formed,
which involves members of parliament, people of law and some members
of Al-Azhar’s Islamic Research department to detail the penalties.
The
JRC has received a request from Egypt’s Mufti Dr. Ahmad Al-Tayeb who
received the request from Ahmad Suroor, the head of the Egyptian
National Assembly, to determine the Islamic legality of the proposal
presented by MP Hussein Ahmad Ibrahim to alter law number 63 for the
year 1976 of the Egyptian law with regards to alcohol regulations.
The
main features of the law is that the person who consumes alcohol must
be penalized with 40 lashes. To prove the crime in a court of law,
there are two methods: the culprit’s confession or two male adult
witnesses (or one man and two women or four women). The testimony has
to be of eye witness and not reported.
The
proposed law suggests a penalty of 30 lashes and a fine of no less
than 1000 Egyptian pounds and no more than 5000 Egyptian pounds for
every person who imports or exports alcoholic products with the aim of
trade. The case is raised by the prosecutor general directly to the
criminal court. In case of issuing a ruling without conviction, the
equipment used to manufacture the beverages and the vehicles used to
transport them should be confiscated.
It
also says that 15 lashes and a fine of no les than 100 pounds and no
more than 300 pounds are due to any person who acquires, manufactures
hands over alcohol with the aim of consumption. In this case, the
court has the right to order addicts hospitalized until recovery
