The Salafi-oriented Asala Party called on the constituent assembly to stipulate in the constitution the establishment of a new supreme court to monitor whether laws and decisions conform to Sharia.

The Nour Party, also Salafi-led, said it is also examining the idea, which has been rejected by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party.

Adel Afify, the head of the Asala Party, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that he will submit the proposal to the constituent assembly.

Afify said the court would work alongside the Supreme Constitutional Court, interpreting Article 2 of the constitution and screen out laws and bylaws contradicting Sharia.

He added that its jurisdiction would not contradict with that of the Supreme Constitutional Court.

Younis Makhyoun, a senior member of the Nour Party and a member of the constituent assembly, said the party will study the proposal or find another way to “defend Sharia.”

Mokhtar al-Ashry, the head of the Freedom and Justice Party’s legal committee, said the proposal will cause the crisis between Al-Azhar and Salafis to deepen.

Article 2 of Egypt’s former constitution, which remains in the current Constitutional Declaration issued in March 2011, states that Islam is the religion of the state and that the principles of Sharia are the main source of legislation.

Conservative Salafi groups have called for amending this article to state that Sharia, rather than its principles, is the main source of legislation, which would lead to a wider implementation of Sharia. This demand sparked disagreements with Al-Azhar.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm