Cairo - Taha Hafiz
Sheikh Abdallah Badr
Recently a state of tension and bickering broke out between Islamists and Egyptian artists. Before the January 25 revolution which fell Mubarak's regime and at the end the Islamists came to rule, artists were the highest voice and were
attacked the Islamists for their actions and after the revolution, the Islamists began to take revenge. Artists defended themselves and continued to criticize the some islamists.
The first event to raise tensions between the two sides was when a group of Salafists attacked the graduation ceremony of the third induction from Nile Academy in al-Mansora Governorate which was held by singer Hisham Abaas.
Sheikh Hazem Shoman went to the stage that Hisham Abaas was singing on and told the students that such activities and singing are taboo, the action confused the academy management an the students booed and chanted against them.
The academy management and security took them out after half an hour and continued the concert in order not to conflict between the preacher and the students who refused his interference. Some students said they refused the principle of extremism because they know their religion's orders and committed to prayers.
The tension transferred to courts after a Salafist lawyer held a lawsuit against Adel Imam, accusing him of insulting Islam, because he wrongly portrays the religious militants. The court sentenced actor Adel Imam to be jailed for three months and to pay EGP1000 as a fine. Adel Imam's lawyer presented an appeal but the court refused it and confirmed the jail sentence, and the lawsuit is still in the courts now.
The film-makers responsible for the movies which were played by Adel Imam did not escape prosecution, another Salafist lawyer held a lawsuit accusing them of insulting Islam but Agouza Misdemeanors Court acquitted five creators from this charge and refused the criminal and civil cases for the absence of the forensic corner of the crime, these creators are Wahid Hamed, Lenin el-Ramly, Sherif Arafa and Nader Galal.
Actress Halah Fakher held a lawsuit against preacher Khaled Abdallah, accusing him of defamation in one of his shows.
The sheikh denounced her position after Halah Fakher laughed when she saw the president's picture in a part of the show where there is a group of photos of famous characters displayed and the invited artist should say his/her opinion on it. Halah Fakher laughed and to agree with Magdy el-Galad in saying that he is "too kind", and added she doesn't chose him, neither did anyone in Egypt chose him in reply to the slogan "the people chose him" she said that she knows that the people who voted for him are those who took "soap, oil and sugar" implying that Morsi bribed the people.
When a picture for the former deputy in the dissolved parliament, Mamdouh Ismail who calls for prayer in the parliament, she hesitated a little before laughing again and saying to el-Galad that he will be a reason for putting her in jail. el-Galad answered her saying "No one puts anyone in jail nowadays." And commenting on his call to pray in the parliament, she said that her reaction is that she falls over laughing because calls for prayer should be in the mosque.
Actress Halah Sedky too attacked Sheikh Mohamed Hassaan commenting on his invitation for Christians not to be afraid from Islam, while he was calling people to vote for Dr Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, in the presidential elections.
Halah said that "Shiekh Hassaan was attacking Christians in the previous regime and now he is calling them not to be afraid from Islam. How can he hold such contradictory positions with Christians."
In the same context, Sheikh Abdallah Badr attacked actress Elham Shahin on "al-Hafez" Satellite Channel over her statements to "Ana Wal Assal" TV programme during Ramadan, accusing her of debauchery, nudity and adultery after she talked about what she introduced to Egypt through her artistic path.
Then he moved to attack actor Nour al-Sherif, describing his works as adultery and prostitution. commenting on his prayer recordings, he asked him to leave such things to the religious people and not for the prostitution people, pointing to the actors.
In a reply to these statements, actress Elham Shahin said that: "No one should interfere in my relation with God or say who will go to heaven or hell as these are things only God knows. My relation with God is a secret relationship and I will not accept anyone to interfere in it."
She described the Sheikh's statements as under developed and unable to make her change her mind. She said his comments proved her right, that the people are not ready for democracy and others use it to insult people.