A judicial crisis is facing the Egyptian film critic Tariq Al-Shennawi, after the family of the late Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi decided to sue him regarding his recent statements in which he criticized the Sheikh's ideas and described them as reactionary.
The wife of Muhammad Al-Shaarawi (the grandson of Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi) said - in statements to a local website - that the family decided to take legal action against the Egyptian critic regarding his statements, considering that whoever repeats such statements seeks fame, stressing that these (critics) could not talk about him. during his lifetime.
She added that some of those attacking the late Sheikh believe that there will be no accountability, and therefore legal measures must be taken, which was the measure that had to be taken since the first insult to Al-Shaarawi.
The wife of Al-Shaarawi's grandson confirmed that the late sheikh does not need to show people trying to discredit him and talk about him falsely, because he is of great value, as his history talks about him.
Tariq Al-Shennawi 🗣️: # Al-Shaarawi had a position on art, so it is inappropriate to present an evening about him pic.twitter.com/4KpKaLOrZB
- Al-Masry Al-Youm (@AlMasryAlYoum) January 4, 2023
The beginning of the crisis
The crisis began after the Egyptian Ministry of Culture announced the theatrical business plan for the year 2023, including a play about Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi, which sparked widespread controversy among his supporters and opponents.
Art critic Tariq Al-Shennawi said - in statements to one of the local websites - that it is more appropriate to present a work that talks about the tolerance and modernity of the Islamic religion and its connection to the other, stressing that this time is not appropriate to talk about the biography of Sheikh Al-Shaarawi because of his "reactionary ideas", as he described it.
He added, "Sheikh Al-Shaarawi had reactionary opinions, with all due respect to his fans and the great popularity he enjoys, but this is not the time for Sheikh Al-Shaarawi to work, especially since society - basically - retreats in his ideas and liberation, and that he hopes to present a work that talks about the tolerance and modernity of the Islamic religion." and its relationship to the other.
Al-Shennawy criticized the choice of the National Theater to present the biography of Sheikh Al-Shaarawi for display during the coming Ramadan, saying, "It is a month of spirituality, but Al-Shaarawi's spirituality is backward, reactionary, puritanical and unfashionable." He added that it would have been better to present the biography of Dr. Magdi Yaqoub or Dr. Ahmed Zewail.
The ministry backs off
This comes after the director of the National Theater, the artist Ehab Fahmy, announced a project called "The Biography", which includes evenings that tell the biographies of personalities that influenced the history of Egypt.
However, the Egyptian Minister of Culture, Dr. Nevin Al-Kilani, denied this, and said that Sheikh Al-Shaarawi "has many reservations," during a telephone interview with the "Cairo Talk" program.
The Minister of Culture says that Sheikh Al-Shaarawi has many reservations, and that her ministry will not present a theatrical performance about him, adding: “Enlightening personalities must be presented to combat dark ideas.”
Watch the video 👇
https://t.co/augjpxiflj pic.twitter.com/XihxRJg9lv
- Rassd Network (@RassdNewsN) January 4, 2023
Al-Kilani said that there was a proposal submitted to hold evenings about some religious figures in Ramadan, and not a theatrical work, explaining that this proposal was submitted by the director of the National Theater, and it was not presented to the committee until now, as the committee decides the works according to some criteria and conditions.
The minister explained that the committee that chooses religious personalities is headed by the artist Samiha Ayoub and the artist Ahmed Fouad Selim, and the name of Sheikh Al-Shaarawi was presented as an example, and it was not confirmed, and no specific work was announced, just as the selected personalities must be enlightening and influential in society across its levels. all.
Imam preachers
Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi - who was born in 1911 - a religious scholar and former Egyptian Minister of Awqaf, and is considered one of the most famous interpreters of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an in the modern era, as he worked on interpretation in simple ways and accessible methods for the public, which made him able to reach a larger segment of Muslims all over the world The Arab, to the extent that some people called him the Imam of Preachers, and he passed away from our world in 1998.
Muslims - and Egyptians in particular - were associated with Al-Shaarawi as they were not associated with a sheikh before or after him, until the music of his program became one of the classics of Egyptian television. Until Al-Shaarawi became one of the most important manifestations of the month of Ramadan in Egypt, similar to the famous Maghrib call to prayer by the late Sheikh Muhammad Rifaat.
Although more than 20 years have passed since the death of the venerable Sheikh, his memory is still alive in the hearts of Egyptians, and his thoughts on the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an continue to be attractive, and satellite channels re-display them from time to time, especially in the month of Ramadan.