In 1995, after a failed assassination attempt against Egyptian President Husni Mubarak a celebration was organized and shown on national television. In order to signify that Mubarak's rule was sanctioned by God some of the most influential religious leaders were asked to share the stage with the President and to offer him their support. One of those leaders was Muhammad Mitwalli Sha'rawi an Al-Azhar graduate who was at that time Egypt's most beloved television preacher. Instead of sanctioning Mubarak's rule however Sha'rawi admonished Mubarak, in a subtle but nonetheless profound manner. Sha'rawi told Mubarak that although he ruled by the will of God he did not rule according to God's will. Even though Sha'rawi was invited to the celebration to confirm Mubarak's reign as divinely sanctioned instead he confirmed that Mubarak was not their rightful ruler. Even though Sha'rawi did religiously admonish Mubarak he did not call for his overthrow or even directly confront him, should his admonition therefore be seen as a kind of capitulationk If we look closely at the speech Sha'rawi made to Mubarak that day and we considerer certain factors we can see that what Sha'rawi said was appropriate his role as a religious authority. As a respected religious scholar ('alim) he was able to speak as a representative of God and therefore to undermine the foundation of Mubarak's claim to legitimacy in a way that no other actor possibly could. Hence theological articulations about worldly power (dominion) can be considered political speech especially in a situation where believers are suppressed by a dominant system. As opposed to being a call for passive capitulation, such speech demonstrates how virtue is cultivated in those who receive discourse, which allows the dominated to empower themselves. But this view must be complimented with acknowledgement of discursive precedence. The importance of the utterance and of the authority associated with an 'alim-preacher underlies the power of discourse to affect the receiver. Analysis of how utterance is transformed into a cultivation of virtue and therefore how religious admonition can engender certain behaviors can be accomplished with a three-pronged approach. First, a consideration of how an 'alim's speech can be considered a part of divine discourse, second how narrative can be extended with a look at what it signifies to the listener and third, consideration of how in the reception of words helps form certain ethical sensibilities in the receiver.