Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta said that casting ballots in the referendum on constitution is a ‘kind of testimony’ and has banned preventing anyone from casting ballots in the referendum, as it “would harm the whole society.”
In a recent edict published on the Mufti’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, which marks beginning of the referendum, Dar al-Ifta described whoever prevents citizens from reaching polling stations, incites or commit sabotage to ruin the referendum process as ‘sinners’ as doing so helps concealing peoples’ testimonies.
It also warned that whoever do so will be included within God’s warning mentioned in Quran “for whoever conceals it [testimony] – his heart is indeed sinful.”
It added that whoever resumes such actions will be entitled to Haraba, whose punishment was clarified by God saying, “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the hereafter.”
Total number of eligible voters on referendum is estimated at 52,742,139. Voting should take place at 30,317 subcommittees through 13,867 polling stations with 13,867 judges supervising the process. Voting goes from 9am to 9pm on 14 and 15 January.
Expatriates can cast their ballots at 84 polling stations.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
