At Cairo's 1,000-year-old mosque, people try to speak out on politics and religion

By: SARAH EL DEEB - Associated Press | Saturday, October 23, 2004 7:17 PM PDT ∞

CAIRO, Egypt -- The turbaned sheik had finished his sermon, but others were just getting started. As he walked from the prayer hall, other speakers stepped in looking for an audience among the thousands of worshippers still crowded into the Al-Azhar mosque.

But the 1,000-year-old Al-Azhar mosque, which is also one of the first universities in the world, is no sanctuary of free speech.

Helmeted riot police ringed the mosque, while inside was the more subtle presence of plainclothes state security officers, who hung back until needed.

Al-Azhar, a revered seat of Islamic learning, has been the site of most of Egypt's demonstrations against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as well as the Iraq war, which last year spilled into the street, leaving scores injured.

Because street demonstrations are rarely permitted, mosques are among the only places where people can vent their feelings in public.

The holy month of Ramadan muted the mood at Friday prayers. The state-sanctioned sermon dealt with the virtues of fasting, obeying the Quran and telling the truth.

The plain and staccato sermon left many worshippers unmoved.

"The sermon is good, but the man has to say what he is told to say. You feel the leash on him," said Mamdouh Habbal, a 61-year old lawyer.

As most worshippers filed out, a few hundred stuck around to debate. Inside the mosque's main hall, men shouted and pushed as two speakers tried to outshout each other.

One man stood with arms folded, telling of Saladin, the Islamic hero who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187. The other tried to interrupt him with a more modern tale: of Egyptians' struggle for freedom under what he called an oppressive government. Scores of listeners surrounded them.

"We need to speak about political work in Egypt," shouted Nagy Said, an accountant, sweat pouring off his face. "Al-Azhar doesn't reflect the pulse of the nation."

A listener objected, saying politics had no place at the mosque.

Suddenly, the security agents materialized from the crowd, checking IDs and questioning the people crowded around the political speaker. They were less interested in the man talking about the ancient Islamic victories.

His listeners remained as the others filed out.

"Grace be to Islam. Islam is coming," called a voice from the crowd. "We are all Saladin."