Feb 21, 2011
I am beginning my research on who, or what, the Muslim Brotherhood is. This not an area I intend to publish on. I just want to have an informed opinion.
What I know right now is that they were a banned opposition party under Mubarak. They were the most organized opposition movement. My students tell me that the Slogan of the Muslim Brotherhood is "Islam is the Answer." However, they have said that they will not field a candidate for President in the upcoming elections. The MB has formed a new political party called the Justice and Freedom Party. Elections are expected to be held in Egypt in September.
Conventional wisdom is that the Muslim Brotherhood is not polling more than 20% of the Egyptian public. Egypt is the most modern, and the most secular of the major Arab states. Women pay a key role at all levels in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood did not organize the protests on Tahrir Square, nor did the Brotherhood actually endorse the first round of protests, and only joined them belatedly. Their slogans, say my students, were no where in evidence. The youth of Egypt led the Revolution, not the Brotherhood. Rob L. Wagner argues that the Brotherhood does not have the support of Egypt's youth.
The Muslim Brotherhood was formed in1928 by Hassan al Banna. The Brotherhood has been banned in Egypt since 1954. Notably, the Brotherhood denounced violenced years ago. The Brotherhood won 88 seats in Parliament (20%) in the 2005 elections. Mubarak saw the Brotherhood as a threat, and cracked down on the organization in 2005.
Now, Mubarak has stepped down, the parliament has been dissolved, and the constitution has been suspended. It appears that the Armed Forces is in favor of amending the constitution, which would allow the Muslim Brotherhood a new shot at legitimacy. A panel of experts drawing up changes to the Egyptian constitution will include a member of the Brotherhood.
Many fear that the Brotherhood will turn Egypt into an Islamist state. However, many characterize the Brotherhood as "moderate." The question is whether the Brotherhood truly supports multi-party democracy, or would prefer a theocracy, such as currently rules Iran.
References:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentPrint/1/0/5956/Egypt/0/Muslim-Brotherhood-expected-to-win-legality,-lose-.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/world/middleeast/16brotherhood.html?ref=egypt&pagewanted=print
http://www.foregnpolicy.com/articles/2011/02/14/think_again_egypt
http://mideastposts.com/2011/02/02/why-the-west-should-not-fear-the-muslim-brotherhood/
http;//english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/02/201129214579...
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/15/133759039/muslim-brotherhood-wild-card-in-egypt-power-game
I am beginning my research on who, or what, the Muslim Brotherhood is. This not an area I intend to publish on. I just want to have an informed opinion.
What I know right now is that they were a banned opposition party under Mubarak. They were the most organized opposition movement. My students tell me that the Slogan of the Muslim Brotherhood is "Islam is the Answer." However, they have said that they will not field a candidate for President in the upcoming elections. The MB has formed a new political party called the Justice and Freedom Party. Elections are expected to be held in Egypt in September.
Conventional wisdom is that the Muslim Brotherhood is not polling more than 20% of the Egyptian public. Egypt is the most modern, and the most secular of the major Arab states. Women pay a key role at all levels in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood did not organize the protests on Tahrir Square, nor did the Brotherhood actually endorse the first round of protests, and only joined them belatedly. Their slogans, say my students, were no where in evidence. The youth of Egypt led the Revolution, not the Brotherhood. Rob L. Wagner argues that the Brotherhood does not have the support of Egypt's youth.
The Muslim Brotherhood was formed in1928 by Hassan al Banna. The Brotherhood has been banned in Egypt since 1954. Notably, the Brotherhood denounced violenced years ago. The Brotherhood won 88 seats in Parliament (20%) in the 2005 elections. Mubarak saw the Brotherhood as a threat, and cracked down on the organization in 2005.
Now, Mubarak has stepped down, the parliament has been dissolved, and the constitution has been suspended. It appears that the Armed Forces is in favor of amending the constitution, which would allow the Muslim Brotherhood a new shot at legitimacy. A panel of experts drawing up changes to the Egyptian constitution will include a member of the Brotherhood.
Many fear that the Brotherhood will turn Egypt into an Islamist state. However, many characterize the Brotherhood as "moderate." The question is whether the Brotherhood truly supports multi-party democracy, or would prefer a theocracy, such as currently rules Iran.
References:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentPrint/1/0/5956/Egypt/0/Muslim-Brotherhood-expected-to-win-legality,-lose-.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/world/middleeast/16brotherhood.html?ref=egypt&pagewanted=print
http://www.foregnpolicy.com/articles/2011/02/14/think_again_egypt
http://mideastposts.com/2011/02/02/why-the-west-should-not-fear-the-muslim-brotherhood/
http;//english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/02/201129214579...
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/15/133759039/muslim-brotherhood-wild-card-in-egypt-power-game
It is actually the first time I get to learn such details about the Muslim Brotherhood.
ReplyDeleteDear Mustafa. I am working to continually update this section, so as I learn more, I will add to this post.
ReplyDeleteThis is a question that a lot of people are asking nowadays. I do not think that it is only Christians who fear this. I believe a lot of people have their doubts Muslims and Christians.
ReplyDeleteSure, the MB carry a following lot, though, I think the majority of the Egyptian people will not allow a theocratic government, governed solely by them. Many Egyptians share an enlightened psychological concept of a modernized Egypt. Having regained the courage, that had been shattered for over 30 years, to speak up and speak out against any and all grieviences, it doesn't seem likely that such government will rule.
ReplyDeleteDear April. This is a valuable insight. I agree that Egyptians look at their country as 'modernized' and would view a theocracy as a step in the wrong direction.
ReplyDeleteMB showed good intentions in the demonstration in the way they interact and homogenize with other views without declaring themselves or using religious slogans, however, I believe that the true guarantee is the aware, knowledgeable and open minded Egyptians.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the current profile members of the Muslim brotherhood changed in the last decade. The youth members become more intellectual and think strategically. They start to create alliances with different parties and christian in specific.
ReplyDeleteI used to oppose MB. After the last events, I respect them as they declared that they have no ambitious to rule Egypt. They only want to move and interact freely as any other parties.
ReplyDeleteMB are very successful businessmen and highly organized in offering services to their community "as I have heard." The fleeting ruling regime is suspected to carry out foreign agendas of running state affairs on no Islamic grounds but to save the security to the Israeli people and prohibit the formation of any Arab united force that might endanger the interests of the great powers (US, Uk, and the like) also, to save minority rights. I can remember one article wrote in the secret correspondences of US intelligence system in Egypt published in wiki-leaks, they simply considered Mubarak as a secular ruler who can best accomplish their agendas in the Egypt and the middle east because of Egypt's strategic role in the region! Now, it's the time to question each part's agenda on the basis of national aims not personal interests so, I can't predict with any guarantee the success of any current or emerging political party, impartial election results would probably answer this question!
ReplyDelete@all students. glad you are having fun with this. Lets do this all semester.
ReplyDeleteThe choice is not Islam vs. Democracy. This is a false division. Islam has no ruling against democratic election. The first Caliph was not appointed, but he was elected after debate and discussion between the groups. Let there be democracy and let the people choose a leader who serves them rather than the foreigners, and if their choice is Islam so be it. This is their choice not ours.
ReplyDeleteV, you said it all. the "new" MBs are wearing the hats of the justice and development party in Turkey. this how they marketed themselves among the revolution youth and will continue to do so until the upcoming presidential elections which I assume they will not be nominating any of their candidates for presidency. partly because it is a new game and they are smart enough to wait and see in which direction the boat will move. I expect they will be focusing on expanding their already wide popularity base among lower middle class in Egypt in addition they would focus on getting some of the main/ important portfolios in the new government ( foreign or finance).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am craving a democratic Egypt, yet I am sure the army will never risk to allow an MB to have the sole right to click on a "War Decision" button by being a president ( as the current legislation allows).
If MBs were chosen by the people then I strongly believe the army heads will all be secularists to control the situation when deemed necessary.
I suspect we are also going to be seeing some divisions within the MB over the next few months. The younger generation are starting to feel a little bit disenchanted with the older generation within the brotherhood. The older guard have always been averse to street protests in order not to incur the wrath of the previous regime. Their initial decision not take part in the protests before the 25th of January did not go well with the youth of the Mb and they participated eventually as individuals. Also now that they have a right to form a party there are many different views as to what direction this party would take and it is not unlikely that we see splits within the organization and more than one party representing the MB. This would signal the end of the MB because their main strengths are discipline and organization and I feel the younger MB members who went to Tahrir have fallen under the spell of revolution and they are unlikely to continue to follow orders blindly as was the case before. The spirit of the moment is not discipline and Obedience, these are revolutionary times and I believe the MB could be living on borrowed time.
ReplyDeletevery informative!!
ReplyDelete