With two major political upheavals, Islamic authorities in Egypt have become strongly polarized. When justifying their positions they are placed within a classical context, evoking verses from the Qur’an and statements of the Prophet or citing scholars such as al-Mawardi and Ibn Taymiyya. Appearing most prominently in public discourse is the use of faith-based labels. For example, the state when acting violently is deemed Pharaonic and those against it likened to the Prophet Moses. Alternatively, those who dare to challenge the authority of the state are labeled as Khawarij and cast out of the Islamic fold. This paper analyzes the use of the Pharaoh and Khawarij labels, particularly during the events leading up to and following the removal of Muhammad Morsi from power, as well as examining its implications in the wider Egyptian political context. It engages with the important questions of: How does the use of labels correspond to or differ from the traditional religious accounts? How are these labels reflected in protestor action or government policy? Sources will include relevant television broadcasts, Friday sermons, radio programs and newspaper articles. An effort will also be made to confirm these opinions through interviews with representatives from both state authorities such as Al Azhar and non-state figures including the Egyptian Salafi movement. Ultimately the paper concludes that Muslim preachers in Egypt consistently define political conflicts through a faith-based lens where polices are secondary and the primary criteria for measurement of legitimacy is faith. This is done to allow preachers navigation around the tricky waters of classical texts that call for quietism and only sanction political opposition when an adversary has left the religion. This results in further polarization of the society and encourages outward religious expressions and leads to a game between the government and the opposition, the prize of which is the label of “true believer.”