CAIRO: Mohamed Hassan's speech caused the anger of many politicians and human rights activists. Hassan drew a parallel comparison between accusers of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) of slowness to those who converted out of Islam after Prophet Mohamed's death.

Human rights activists accused Hassan of hypocrisy, while others stressed that Hassan is one individual and doesn’t express the religious point of view of most Egyptians. They refused the policy pursued by religious authority against people who disagree with their views.

Vice-president of Center (Al-Wast Party) Essam Sultan condemned Hassan's claims, saying differences against the SCAF are normal like any other differences among humans. He also refused to accuse the military institution of treason, considering such accusation as a crime, according to the Egyptian criminal law.

Secretary of the Bar Association, Mohamed al-Damati also condemned Hassan's preaching, stressing the matter has no relation with religion. Al-Damati said citizens have the right to criticize political performance of the SCAF even as the ruling authority of the country. He believes constructive criticism is a constitutional right for all citizens.

A leader in the Unionist Party, Hussien Abdel Razek agreed with al-Damati, believing Hassan’s words as a form of religious terrorism that should be rejected. He demanded Egyptian citizens to insist on the slogan chanted during Egypt's 1919 Revolution, “Religion is for God, while the country is for all." He stressed religion should be separated from politics since politics differs in preferences and conflict with different religions.

Secretary of Al-Wafd Party, Fouad Badrawy, stressed the need to separate religion from politics, and said Hassan's opinion is not binding to majority of Egyptians.

Vice-president of the National Council of Human Rights, Mohamed Faek said it's not logical to involve religion in every part of life. He emphasized Egyptians should establish a modern civil state.

The manager of Cairo's Center for Human Rights Studies, Bahi al-Din Hassan, said there are religious groups that refuse to protest against their authority since it breaks Muslim unity. It is because of this reason Islamic groups raise the necessity to obey their ruler. He added the matter isn't limited to obeying the SCAF but extends to any ruler.

Gamal Eid criticized Hassan's speech, saying, "They should stop their hypocrisy." He demanded them not to speak on the behalf of the citizens because they don't represent the majoirty. Eid sees the SCAF as the ruling authority of the country and can be criticized by the citizens, according to the constitution.

Human rights activist, Najad al-Borai said Hassan's declarations don’t deserve a response since "he has no value among the Salafis." He assured Hassan will back away from his declarations after discussions and criticisms. He added Hassan and other religious powers were allies with the former regime. Al-Borai stressed religious leader’s readiness to ally with any government that achieve their interests.

The editor-in-chief of the Cairo magazine, Salah Issa demanded Hassan not to mix religion with politics. He said, "Criticizing the SCAF is a political so we can't confuse between such issues and those who converted from Islam." Issa mentioned what Hassan tried to say, comparing the Muslims meeting after Prophet Mohamed's death to choose a successor to the parallel political situation of choosing a successor.

Chairman of the Nasserite Party, Sameh Ashour expressed his respect to the high-profile preacher but refused his preaching. Ashour denies that the Egyptians’ accusations to the SCAF are that of treason. He assured the people and officials praised the role the SCAF took during the Egyptian revolution. Ashour said the era of hypocrisy is over.

Asour said, "Turning the SCAF to a council of gods is a crime against the military institution, the country, and the people." He considers such attempts as a coup against the January 25 Revolution.

Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, January 25 Revolution, Prophet Mohamed, Al-Wafd, Center (Al-Wast) Party, Muslim Brotherhood