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

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  • Memorization of the Quran and implanting it into the hearts of Muslims
  • Teaching and learning the Quran and its provisions
  • Removing suspicions about the Quran and keeping it from misrepresentation and distortion
  • Interest in the study of the Hadith

Programming

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Channel programs revolve around the following topics:

  • Memorization of the Quran and its recitation
  • Quran miracles in all fields
  • Sunnah
  • Clarification of doubts, revealing falsehoods, and responding to them
  • Tales of memorizing and those that have mastered the memorization of the Quran
  • Calligraphy
  • Quran and life
  • Ethics of the Quran
  • Defense of the Muslim Brotherhood and attack on its opponents in a way seen by some as inappropriate

Elham Shahin lawsuit

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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]

References

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  1. ^ El Masry, Sarah. "A polarised media: Religious satellite TV channels". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  2. ^ "Court orders Islamist preacher's program suspended for one month". Archived from the original on 25 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.