Studies in the Shari’a (Muslim law) are no longer part of the high school curriculum in Algeria. This decision, taken by President ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz Bouteflika, finalized the hotly debated issue in Algeria, after many weeks of conflict between Islamists and the Algerian government, reports the London-based daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat.
Bouteflika gave his approval of his government’s decision, surprising many Algerians who did not expect him to go through with it. Experts in the country describe his move as a “blow” to Islamists and other organizations which tried to thwart it.
In the past few weeks, students and teachers of Shari’a studies demonstrated against the government’s decision.
“We will not tolerate the decision to cancel the Islamic Shari’a studies as part of the high school curriculum, unless it is given its proper status,” responded the (unnamed) chairman of the Islamic Studies Lecturers Committee, according to the Algerian daily Al-Khabar.
Islamic parties stressed their disappointment in the president, who did not go against the government’s decision. “The Shari’a is not similar to other fields of study. Its has influence on the nation’s life,” said the A-Nahdha party in a communiqué published on Monday.