CAIRO - An assembly drafting Egypt's new constitution voted on Thursday to keep the principles of Islamic law as the main source of legislation, unchanged from the previous constitution in force under former president Hosni Mubarak.
The issue was the subject of a long dispute between hardline Salafi Islamists and liberals in the assembly which will vote on each of 234 articles in the draft constitution before it is sent to President Mohamed Morsi for approval.
After that, Morsi must put it to a popular referendum.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group that nominated Morsi for the presidency, hopes that quick approval of the constitution will help end a crisis ignited by a decree that expanded his powers.
While Article Two of the constitution - describing the source of legislation - stays the same, the constitution includes new provisions explaining what is meant by "the principles" of Islamic law, known as sharia.
The assembly also approved a new article that states that Al-Azhar, a seat of Sunni Muslim learning, must be consulted on "matters related to the Islamic sharia."
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=293978
The difference of course is that it's now to be enforced by the Muslim Brotherhood. Is there any doubt it will win in public referendum?