More than 10,000 ultraconservative Muslims staged a demonstration in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday, demanding that Egypt’s new constitution be based on Sharia law.

More than 10,000 ultraconservative Muslims staged a demonstration in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday, demanding that Egypt’s new constitution be based on Sharia law.

Many were bussed from outside Cairo to take part in the rally, where demonstrators waved the Islamist and Egyptian flags and held traditional Friday prayers.

Protesters chanted, "Sharia is our constitution" and "The people demand the application of God's law.”

Many demonstrators collected signatures for a petition, in which they ask for the Sharia to become "the basis of all laws," meaning that Egypt’s laws would be subject to religious interpretation and clearance.

The drafting of Egypt’s new constitution has been fraught with controversy since ex-president Hosni Mubarak was ousted and replaced by Mohammad Mursi.

Conservative Islamists are stepping up pressure on the ruling Muslim Brotherhood party to override liberal and secular objections to Sharia law. The party has repeatedly been accused of not advocating strongly enough for Islamic rule.

Liberals and other secularists are pushing to keep the wording the way it is, but conservative Islamists maintain that Sharia law will benefit everyone – not just Muslims.

"People are scared of the application of Sharia, but I am telling Muslims and Christians and everyone that Islam is a mercy on all of us because it is based on the Quran's rules," protester Gaber Mohammad told reporters.