Former Grand Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa continues to stir controversy with his answers during a Ramadan program broadcast on United Company channels in Egypt. He responded to a question from an attendee of his program "Nur al-Din" regarding those who undergo "sex reassignment" surgeries due to changes in genetics. He stated: "There is something called the combination of identities, which in Arabic refers to a person who is hermaphroditic, meaning they are born with some anomaly in their organic structure, resulting in a mixed or ambiguous gender. They might be biologically female but registered as male, or vice versa. Scholars have called this person 'the one with issues' who has specific organic, psychological, and medical conditions."
He added: "We have a committee in Egypt to adjudicate these cases, composed of doctors and representatives from biological research and the fatwa authority, who write a report regarding the requests of that case. Sex reassignment surgeries are permissible according to Sharia after obtaining legal, religious, and medical approval from this committee."
Gomaa had previously issued several fatwas in earlier episodes that generated uproar, including that paradise is not exclusive to Muslims and that individuals from other religions could also enter paradise, which he explained using a verse from the Quran. Regarding hell, he considered it a means to scare people from God's punishment so they do not harm anyone, noting that the relationship between the individual and their God should be based on love and mercy. He emphasized that the discourse used to invite people should focus on mercy and love rather than hatred.
