The wife of late Salafi activist Mohamed Yousry Salama, Omneya, told ONtv Sunday evening that the fact she choose not to cover her hair was a point a disagreement between her and her husband.
While she agreed wearing the hijab is mandatory in Islam, she believes there are more important issues to care about other than personal appearance.
“He was criticized by the Salafis for this,” she told ONtv’s Gaber al-Qarmouty, adding that they also criticized her husband for taking part in the revolution. “He had hope in Mohamed ElBaradei.”
Salama died last week at age 39 after a short struggle with a stomach microbe.
ElBaradei, head of the Dostour Party, spoke about Salama last week, saying “his love for his country, his integrity, his self-denial and his defense of the freedom and dignity of every Egyptian will always be a role model for all of us.”
Salama was born in Alexandria on 1 October 1974 and studied dentistry, but then worked as a researcher and translator at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
His choice to participate in the 25 January revolt defied fatwas from several Salafi sheikhs opposed to the revolution. He remained in Tahrir Square until former President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster.
He worked as media spokesperson for the Salafi Nour Party, but resigned a few months later due to political disagreements, and went onto become a founding member of the liberal Dostour Party, which he hoped would bring together Egyptians from across the political spectrum.
