CAIRO: Al-Azhar’s Islamic Research Center refused to discuss a draft law to adopt Christian children because it wasn’t proposed by a legislative party, Sheikh Ali Abdel Baki, secretary general of the Islamic Research Center, said.
The draft law was proposed by lawyer Naguib Gobrael, head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization.
According to egynews.net, Abdel Baki said Thursday that the center will not discuss the draft law also because adoption is banned under Islamic law.
Abdel Baki was unavailable for comment when contacted by Daily News Egypt.
Gobrael proposed a draft law for allowing Coptic couples to adopt Christian children as a way to stem child trafficking.
Articles in the law stipulate punishment on Coptic couples who adopt Muslim children.
Gobrael previously told Daily News Egypt that they are merely consulting Al-Azhar, however the final decision is up to the People’s Assembly.
In 1978, Pope Shenouda had proposed a similar draft law to the Ministry of Justice but it never saw the light.
