| Sayyid Al-Qemany | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 March 1947 Beni Suef, Egypt |
| Occupation | Academic Writer,Egyptian Thinker |
| Nationality | Egypt |
Sayyid Al-Qemany (Arabic: سيد محمد القمني) is an Egyptian writer and thinker. Born on March 13, 1947 in the province of Beni Suef, he is a controversial writer. His works emphasize the importance of critical thinking, and he is an opponent of Islamic fundamentalism, supporting separation of religion and state, and tolerance. He has been awarded the Egyptian Culture Ministry's 2009 prize for achievement in the social sciences of 200,000 Egyptian pounds (about USD $36,000).[1][2] The bestowing of the award launched "a judicial and media campaign demanding" its withdrawal[3] by those who claim Al-Qimni is a heretic who has "harmed Islam and the Muslims with his writings".[1][2]
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However the award has been attacked by former Egyptian mufti Dr. Nasr Farid Wasil who called the decision to award Al-Qimni the prize "a crime against Egypt's Muslim identity."[2] The islamic association Jabhat 'Ulama Al-Azhar stated that Al-Qimni "has openly blasphemed in a manner that does not lend itself to [any other] interpretation." The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya have also attacked Sayyed Al-Qimni[3] Dar Al-Ifta, Egypt's official fatwa-issuing body, headed by Chief Mufti Dr. 'Ali Gomaa issued a fatwa stating in part:
"The Muslims [believe] unanimously that whoever curses the Prophet or slanders Islam removes himself from the fold of Islam and [from the community] of Muslims, and deserves punishment in this world and torment in the world to come... The statements [from Al-Qimni's writings] quoted by the [individual] who requested the fatwa are heretical, regardless of who wrote them; they remove their author from the fold of Islam… and [also] constitute a crime according to Article 98 of [Egypt's] penal code. If these depraved, loathsome, and invalid statements were indeed made by a specific individual, then this individual should be convicted rather than awarded a prize, and punished to the full extent of the law..."[2][4]
Shiekh Youssef Al Badri has accused Sayyed Al-Qimni of "deconstructing Islam using eloquent sugar-coated attacks ... more fatal than Salman Rushdie".[1] In turn Sayyed Al-Qimni replied that Badri was accusing him of atheism. "Islamic scholars do not want the Muslim to use his God-given brain! They want a submissive and obedient Muslim who refers to them in the slightest details of his life."[1]
Egyptian liberals have come to Al-Qimni's defense and called on the government to defend Sayyed Al-Qimni against accusations of heresy "which are tantamount to incitement to murder."[5][6] Human rights activists, academics, and journalists have reportedly issued a petition of solidarity with him.[2]
Egypt State Award of Merit Prize in the social sciences for the year 2009, which is Egypt’s highest award.