Al-Hafez Explained

Al-Hafez (Arabic 'the Protector') is a Salafi Islamic channel from Egypt that promotes teaching and recitation of the Quran. In addition, as a reaction to the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the channel promotes the political orientation of Islamist parties and serves as a platform to attack their opponents.

Goals

Programming

Channel programs revolve around the following topics:

Elham Shahin lawsuit

Al-Hafez was sued following the broadcasting of offensive language. The reason for this was that Atef Abel Rasheed, the presenter of the show Fee el-Mezan, hosted two sheikhs whose language and opinions were seen as being offensive: Sheikh Abdallah Badr, who slandered Egyptian actress Elham Shahin, and Salafi Sheikh Mahmoud Shaaban, who issued a fatwa on air calling for the assassination of opposition leaders.[1] Following Badr's comments about her on air, Shahin filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court of the State Council, demanding that Al-Hafez be shut down and its licenses revoked. Badr, a controversial preacher notorious for the coarse language and insults he directs at opponents, had described Shahin on his show as being "promiscuous, naked, and lascivious" and also called her a "prostitute" and "infidel", according to clips shown to the court by the public prosecution. In December 2012, the Zaweya al-Hamra Court sentenced him to one year in prison and ordered him to pay a LE20,000 fine. Badr announced that he will not make any more media appearances and will focus solely on preaching.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: El Masry. Sarah. A polarised media: Religious satellite TV channels. 3 April 2013. Daily News Egypt. https://web.archive.org/web/20130403121528/http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/04/03/a-polarised-media-religious-satellite-tv-channels/. 3 April 2013. live.
  2. Web site: Court orders Islamist preacher's program suspended for one month. 3 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130325084539/http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/court-orders-islamist-preacher-s-program-suspended-one-month. 25 March 2013. live.