Rabat - "Women who reject the Hijab are stupid, naïve and ignorant," these were the words of Egypt's former Mufti, (top interpreter of religious edicts issued by Muslim clerics), Sheik Ali Gomaa, speaking on live television.
The Islamist jurist joined the debate around Islamic headscarves in Egypt with some very surprising comments that have raised fears among moderate Egyptians.
"They think they know everything but they don't," he said regarding those who deny the obligation of women to wear Hijab during an appearance on Egyptian television CBC.
"A woman who denies Hijab is ignorant and knows nothing about her religion. Those who know the religion are the Islamic scholars who studies and memorized the Quran, the Sunnah, and the Hadith, the Islamic Sharia and the Arabic Language," he added.
Egypt's ex-grand Mufti has divided non-Hijabi women into two groups: sinners and infidels.
According to him, sinners are those who acknowledge Hijab as a must, but fail to adopt it, while Infidels are those who openly challenge the concept of mandatory Hijab.
Gomaa, who was appointed as Mufti by the toppled President Mubarak in 2003, a position that he maintained until 2013, has become one of the most explicitly anti-extremist clerics in mainstream Sunni Islam. He is known for making progressive controversial remarks on democracy, female genital mutilation, and other issues.
However, his recent comments about Hijab created controversy in Egypt amid fears that moderate mainstream scholars are now giving their blessing to new institutionalized Islamism, according to Nervana1.org.
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