A few days after a verbal battle broke out in Egypt over Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif entered the crisis line, while the family of the late decided to file a new lawsuit against the critic Magda Khairallah regarding her recent statements and her insult to the late.

The hashtag #Sheikh_Al-Shaarawi is still at the forefront of the most discussed topics on social media in Egypt, following the Ministry of Culture’s announcement of theatrical business plan for the year 2023, including a play about Sheikh Al-Shaarawi, which sparked widespread controversy between his supporters and opponents.

Through his official accounts, Al-Azhar published a series of publications that included successive photos and video clips of Al-Shaarawi, which touched on his biography, his career in Al-Azhar, and his contributions.

Al-Azhar said on its official Facebook page, "Al-Shaarawi gave his life to interpreting the Book of God and devoted his life to that task, so he communicated the meanings of the Qur'an to his listeners smoothly and sweetly, and attracted people to him from different levels, and awakened in them the faculties of reception."

# Imam_preachers # Al-Shaarawi # Sheikh_ Al-Shaarawi pic.twitter.com/BhR5jVxSHc

- Al-Azhar Al-Sharif (@AlAzhar) January 5, 2023

And the "Al-Azhar International Center for Electronic Fatwa" stated that the deceased was an example of the moderate world, and he had "honorable patriotic stances against the occupation forces, and successful efforts in refuting suspicions about Islam and the Qur'an."

The battle also resonated in the Egyptian Parliament, where a member of Parliament, Farida Al-Shobashi, submitted a request for a briefing to the Prime Minister and Minister of Culture two days ago, in which she denounced the production of a theatrical work to honor Al-Shaarawi.

New lawsuit

Two days after announcing the prosecution of critic Tariq Al-Shennawi, the family of Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi announced the filing of a new lawsuit against critic Magda Khairallah, regarding her recent statements and abuse of the late.

In statements to Cairo 24, the wife of Muhammad Al-Shaarawi, the late grandson, said, "The family decided to assign lawyer Samir Sabry to file a lawsuit against the critic Magda Khairallah, just as I filed a complaint against the critic Tariq Al-Shennawi for insulting the late man as well."

Art critic Tariq Al-Shennawi was the first to launch a scathing attack on Al-Shaarawy after the play was announced, saying, "He had very reactionary ideas, and his spirituality was backward and not modern." As a result, Al-Shaarawy's family announced the prosecution of Al-Shennawi.

After that, the critic Magda Khairallah criticized the late, saying in press statements, "Al-Shaarawy did not benefit society and was not an enlightening man. He rejected science, created discord between Muslims and Christians, and achieved terrifying fortunes."

The wife of Al-Shaarawi's grandson responded to Magda Khairallah's statements, saying, "The late man knew the source of his money and was God-fearing. He gave up his rights to radio and television to Egypt, built a religious institute and a mosque, and established a charitable association in the psychological lady and built a hospital and a charitable complex."

For her part, Minister of Culture Nevin Al-Kilani denied showing a theatrical work by Sheikh Al-Shaarawi on the stage, pointing out that she was directed to choose influential personalities in all fields, without announcing them before being approved by a specialized committee.

Al-Kilani mentioned that Al-Shaarawi's name is echoed by "very many opinions and reservations from all cultural and artistic fields," noting that the proposed names should have a "positive and enlightening effect on society, to combat dark and extremist ideas," as she put it.

Al-Shaarawi.. the most famous interpreter of the Qur’an in the modern era

Sheikh Muhammad Metwally Al-Shaarawi was born on April 15, 1911, in the village of Daqadous, Mit Ghamr Center, Dakahlia Governorate, and he completed memorizing the Noble Qur’an at the age of 11, and obtained the Al-Azhar primary certificate in 1923.

After obtaining Al-Azhar secondary school, his father insisted that he complete his studies at Al-Azhar, and he graduated from the Faculty of Arabic Language in 1940.

Among the most prominent positions through which Al-Shaarawi served the Islamic Call was the position of director of the office of the former Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Hassan Mamoun, in 1964, and head of the Al-Azhar mission in Algeria in 1966.

He also assumed the position of Minister of Awqaf and Al-Azhar Affairs in 1976, and has been a member of the Islamic Research Academy, the Arabic Language Academy, and the Shura Council since 1980.

Al-Shaarawi 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 simplified ways and accessible methods for the public, which made him able to reach a larger segment of Muslims throughout the Arab world, to the extent that some people called him the imam of the preachers, and he passed away from our world in 1998.