After official approval of the Muslim Brotherhood's new political party came the surprising approval of a Salafist party, writes Amani Maged About 15 years ago, a faction of Muslim Brothers split off from the mother organisation, determined to found a political party. Their move and subsequent decade-and-a-half struggle to establish the Wasat (Centre) Party triggered intense debate over the nature and practices of a political party with an Islamic frame of reference. Soon after the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, the party finally received an official stamp of approval. The news reverberated through the country, and not only because this was the first party to be established in the post-Mubarak era. Then came the turn of the Muslim Brotherhood itself, which quickly unveiled its Freedom and Justice Party. Soon a group of Salafis followed suit with Al-Nour (The Light) Party, which received official approval a few days ago. Other religiously oriented parties are sure to follow. Many are currently under formation, such as Al-Nahda (Revival), whose founders are represented by Ibrahim El-Zaafarani, and Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya's party. The emergence of so many Islamist parties naturally gives us pause for thought, sparking no small anxiety with regard to their potential effect on public opinion, and considerable curiosity with regard to their political future. But before succumbing to our misgivings, let us bear in mind that to political parties with an Islamic frame of reference Islam requires acknowledgement of the necessity of a civil state in which the people are the source of all government authorities, in which there is a division of powers and a system of checks and balances between branches of government, in which the principle of unity must prevail over all political rivalries, and in which government and government officials are accountable to the people by means of explicit laws and mechanisms that ensure effective public oversight. Yet as strenuously as Islamist parties have sought to clarify and affirm these principles, liberal forces still suspect that Islamist parties are bent on cutting off the hands of thieves and strict enforcement of literalist interpretations of Islamic law. This mistrust is the source of many problems, and it is precisely why it will be useful to take a closer look at parties with an Islamic frame of reference. The Wasat Party is the brainchild of three prominent Egyptian intellectuals: Mohamed Selim El-Awwa, counsellor Tareq El-Bishri and the late Mohamed El-Mesiri. They held that as a political party its activities should be restricted to the political domain, with no crossover into religious proselytising. In other words, they conceived of the Wasat Party as a purely civil party that would offer an Islamic political vision based on the legacy of Islamic civilisation, which binds Muslims and Christians. At the same time, it subscribes to peaceful political practices, the rules of the democratic game, and the concept of the open society and respect for the other. The founding fathers of the Wasat Party and, since its approval, the party itself have avoided the pitfalls and shortcomings of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as its rigidity, resistance to change and the inability to build bridges of understanding and cooperation with other political forces. The Wasat Party has made considerable inroads into establishing constructive bonds with all other political forces. But as favourable an impression as it has made among the intelligentsia and political elites, a huge question mark hovers over its electoral prospects. The Wasat Party has yet to announce how many candidates it plans to field in the forthcoming parliamentary elections and even to unveil a campaign platform. The Freedom and Justice Party is certainly better prepared in this respect. Although in many respects the Muslim Brotherhood today is the product of years of suppression since the execution of Sayed Qotb in 1966, which forced the organisation underground. The bulk of the Brotherhood's work has since been largely philanthropic, focussing on the spiritual problems of Muslims and assisting the poor with free healthcare, educational and other services. However, it has remained very tightly organised and organisationally methodological. Another of its strengths is the relatively high educational and cultural level of its members. One of the greatest challenges facing the Freedom and Justice Party at present is to prove that it is earnest in its pledge to draw a clear line between the party and the mother organisation and to keep religion out of politics. So far, many political elites remain unconvinced. With respect to the forthcoming elections, many observers maintain that the party's prospects are not that strong. Popular support for the Muslim Brotherhood has eroded in tandem with the decline in popular sympathy since restrictions were lifted and the Muslim Brothers resurfaced in the public sphere. In addition, their party will face tough competition from all the new parties that have begun to emerge, whether those representing the revolutionary youth or those representing other Islamist trends, such as the Salafis and Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya. But some analysts disagree. They argue that the Muslim Brotherhood is the only political faction that is equipped to enter the electoral race and that it is powerful enough to win a sizeable chunk of parliamentary seats. Al-Nour, the first Salafist party to be approved by the Political Parties Committee, is certain to encounter organisational difficulties. The Salafis have long shunned involvement in politics. In fact, many have long held that politics was sinful, that democracy and participating in elections were heretical, and that even defying a tyrannical ruler was wrong. Then the revolution came and suddenly we find Salafis staging protests, forming political parties and engaging in other types of political activities, much to the consternation of liberals and secularists. Yet it is impossible to deny that Salafis have a significant popular base and that as new as they are to politics they stand a good chance of winning quite a few parliamentary seats. Other religiously oriented parties are emerging on the political horizon. In addition to Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya's project and Al-Nahda, mentioned above, a coalition of Sufi orders is expected to form one. However, the Wasat Party, the Freedom and Justice Party, and Al-Nour are so far the strongest. In the contest between the Islamist parties, the Wasat Party, created by the Muslim Brotherhood breakaway faction, and the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party will probably be racing neck-and-neck. Exactly how many seats they will win, and exactly what will be their political future, will depend on their actions and campaign strategies in the coming phase.
