"We agree to building of churches according to the Constitution's articles on building houses of worship and do not take jiziya from Christians (only) because Muslims are now weak and in a lower status than other people," Burhamy said.
Burhamy's statement came in a video recorded December 14, 2013 and published by al-Badeel newspaper on Wednesday. The video is entitled "Building of Churches," in which Burhamy discussed the thoughts of Ibn Taymiyyah, an earlier fundamentalist Muslim scholar, on the demolition of churches based on incidents under early Muslim caliphs and companions.
"When Muslims conquered Egypt, all farmers were Christians and Muslims were soldiers," Burhamy added. "At the time, Islam was still nascent, so Muslims allowed Christians to keep their churches, as the Prophet allowed Jews to stay in the city of Khyber when Muslims conquered it. When Muslims became stronger, Omar bin al-Khattab implemented the Prophet's order to get Jews and Christians out of the Arabian Peninsula. At the time, there was not a single Jew in Khyber."
He continued that in a village where there were Christians and no Muslims and mosques, Muslims allowed keeping the churches, although their demolition is not religiously forbidden. But as Muslims came to live in these areas and built mosques, it was not allowed anymore to keep churches beside mosques in the same location.
Burhamy said the reason for building new churches in Egypt is the weakness of the Fatimids, and when Saladin came, he did not demolish them because he was preoccupied with his many enemies at the time.
"Those who demolish churches and follow Allah's command against Christians, such as Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz, are victorious and those who do not are defeated," Burhamy added.
In similar context, the Islamic State (IS) published /images on Monday showing its members pulling down crosses from churches in the province of Nineveh in northern Iraq and replacing them with its black flag. They also smashed crosses and tombstones and distorted a small statue of the Virgin Mary.
Yasser Burhamy, who lives in Alexandria, is the vice president of the Salafist Call and has consistently attacked the Christian faith. Authorities fear arresting him, while Copts, who are accused of contempt of Islam, are immediately arrested.
Nour Party seeks the application of Islamic law in Egypt. Keeping the Nour Party on the Egyptian arena and allowing it to run for the election raises concerns among Egyptian intellectuals and liberals, who sharply criticize the authorities for their position on this party, as it goes counter the constitution.
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Edited from: http://www.mcndirect.com/showsubject.aspx?id=60206