The Salafi Nour Party has no authority to force women to wear the Islamic headscarf, said Nader Bakar, spokesman of party, at a rally in Aswan on Sunday. He added that any such fatwa (religious edict) should come from Al-Azhar or the Islamic Research Academy.
The rally was entitled "The Nour Party’s Vision for Tourism," and was attended by travel agent representatives and several tourists.
“We cannot but say that the headscarf is mandated by the Quran,” Bakar said.
He also said that his party would not seek to cover up any statues, in reference to a recent incident in Alexandria in which a statue was covered by sheets during a Salafi rally.
Bakar said that alcohol is prohibited in both Islam and Christianity, as he had been informed by priests. “We cannot forbid tourists from drinking,” he said. “But we can refrain from serving them alcohol.”
Bakar assured attendees that his party opposes authoritarianism. “We won’t be another Mubarak,” he said. “The man thought he was untouchable, but he was brought down by the people.”
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
