The Al-Azhar said the book was an open invitation to obscenity
|
An Egyptian poet will defy an edict by Muslim authorities calling
for his latest book to be withdrawn because of its explicit sexual
nature.
Ahmed Shahawi said the ruling against Commandments of Love for Women had nothing to do with religion.
The book's publishers argue Al-Azhar University can only recommend what books people should read, not ban them.
Egyptian literary and human rights groups have protested against the edict as a threat to freedom of expression.
They say it demonstrates the increasing censorship practiced by religious institutions.
Scholars' praise
The controversy over the book started in September, when
an Islamist lawmaker protested about it in parliament, saying it
desecrated Islamic principles.
The government-run publishers moved quickly to take the book off the shelves.
But within hours it was back on sale, after the scholars
who had sanctioned its publication explained that the poet was drawing
on the sacred heritage of the Koran and the sayings of the Prophet
Mohammed in order to elevate the status of women within Arab culture.
The scholars praised the book for its affinity with
Islamic mysticism known as Sufism, which regards the love of women as a
means of loving God.
Al-Azhar's edict
Their arguments - backed up reportedly by the
intervention of powerful official figures - convinced the publishers,
but not Al-Azhar - the highest authority in Sunni Islam.
On Saturday, its research academy said people should not read the book.
It described the book as an open invitation to
obscenity, for saying things like women should surrender themselves to
passion without shame, and parade naked before their lovers.
Last month, a United Nations-sponsored report said the
relatively tiny and restricted number of books being published in the
Arab world was one of the reasons why Arab societies were falling far
short of their potential.
|
Know that there is nothing greater than the meeting of
your souls and the joining of your bodies
