FIRST came the urine opinion, which said that drinking the urine of the Prophet Muhammad was a blessing. Then came the breast-feeding fatwa, declaring that the restriction on unmarried men and women being together could be lifted at work if a woman breastfed her male colleagues five times, to establish family ties.

For the past few weeks, the breast-feeding fatwa has proved a national embarrassment in Egypt, not least because it was issued by a representative of the highest religious authority in the land.

For many Muslims, fatwas, or religious rulings, are the bridge between faith and modern life. They are supposed to be issued by scholars who look to the Koran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad for guidance. In Egypt alone, thousands are issued each month.