Ultraconservative Salafists have stepped up efforts aimed at imposing their radical brand of Islam on Egypt's new constitution. The two Salafist parties, El-Nour Party and Asala, have exploited their membership of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution to battle hard to change the first three articles of 1971 constitution. They were successful with the first article, but lost with the second and third articles under pressure of the prestigious and moderate Sunni Islam Al-Azhar institution and liberal forces.

As lawmakers, the Muslim Brotherhood have faced the judiciary’s wrath on several occasions, for proposing a bill to revamp the judicial system, and again for questioning the integrity of judges on the heels of some of the most controversial verdicts that have ever impacted politics. But perhaps their greatest battle has been the recent Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) ruling that disbanded Parliament.

SUEZ — As the sun set over Suez’s corniche, couples and families started to arrive at the popular hangout. Couples sat on the bank of the canal, watching the sunset and chatting intimately, while others parked themselves in a nearby garden well-known as a local lovers’ lane.

Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb, Egypt's most senior Islamic cleric, has said the principles of Islamic law must remain the primary source of legislation in Egypt's new constitution.

Amid mounting tension between Egypt's Islamist political forces and the judiciary, Muslim Brotherhood lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud described Tuesday's ruling by Egypt's High Constitutional Court (HCC), which overturned a presidential decree reinstating the People's Assembly, as "worthless."

The High Constitutional Court's (HCC) decision on Tuesday night to cancel President Mohamed Morsi's reinstatement of the People's Assembly has provoked an angry response from Egyptian Islamists.

Egypt’s new constitution should preserve the wording of Article 2 of the 1971 Constitution stipulating that the “principles” of Islamic law are the main source of legislation, said the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar on Tuesday, sparking condemnation from Salafi politicians.

The Salafist Nour Party has presented President Mohamed Morsi with a number of names as possible ministers within the new cabinet.

The Muslim Brotherhood called a Tuesday million-march on the Twitter account of the group's official website Ikhwanweb, to support President Mohamed Morsi's Sunday decree that reinstated the People's Assembly, the lower house of Egypt's parliament.

Sources within the Muslim Brotherhood say the group has drafted a plan to be carried out nationwide that would support President Mohamed Morsy, and specifically his decision to reinstate the People’s Assembly.

The new book by journalist Waleed Toghan tackles a topic heavily discussed these days: Salafists. The book, Salafists Also Go to Hell, published by Sefsafa Publishing, delves into the religious foundations of Salafists who are considered the most conservative Islamists.

Following an emergency meeting of Freedom and Justice Party’s leaders Saturday morning, sources said that Muslim Brotherhood Shura Council members in attendance called for former presidential candidate Khairat al-Shater to be appointed prime minister. The members said because Morsy was elected president, the Brotherhood party has the right to lead the cabinet.

Dozens of Coptic activists marched from Abbasiya Square to Orouba Palace in Heliopolis Saturday to call on President Mohamed Morsy preserve public freedoms and denounce reports of recent assaults by religious extremists.

The Muslim Brotherhood will not nominate one of its members for the post of prime minister, the Islamist group's secretary general, Mahmoud Hussein, said in a press statement on Sunday.

Tourism Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour has dismissed reports that he has been nominated for the post of Egypt's vice president. Abdel Nour is a Coptic Christian, and said the aim behind such reports is to appease concerns about Islamists dominating power.

The trial of former MP Ali Wanees, who is accused of indecency, was postponed Sunday by the Tokh Misdemeanor Court to 15 July so evidence can be considered.

The Coptic Orthodox Church threatened to withdraw its Constituent Assembly representatives Wednesday over concerns the new constitution will not represent minorities.

With the swearing-in ceremony of Mohamed Morsy last week, executive powers were transferred from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to Egypt’s first democratically elected president — a milestone set to be followed by the appointment of a new Cabinet.

Political forces will take to the streets to topple President Mohamed Morsy if he shows any bias toward the Muslim Brotherhood at the expense of other groups, vowed former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh during a TV interview Wednesday.

The search for a prime minister is still ongoing 10 days after Mohamed Morsy was officially declared president. The Salafi Nour Party has proposed a technocrat for the post, and requested that Morsy assign the ministries of communications, industry and endowments to the party.

Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb headed a meeting comprised of Constituent Assembly members from Al-Azhar, Salafi groups and the Muslim Brotherhood as well as a number of scholars to discuss Article 2 of the constitution and Sharia Law, state-run news service MENA reported on Wednesday.