Although the general guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Mahdi Akef previously announced that his term will expire next January and that he has no intention to stay on as leader, events occurring within the group's authoritative Guidance Bureau led him to withdraw his decision. The public reason is because of a disagreement over the promotion of leading figure Esam el-Erian to the Guidance Bureau. In an interview exclusively with Al-Masry Al-Youm, Akef referred to a deal struck with a “senior official” whereby 150 members of the Brotherhood were nominated for elections to the People's Assembly, and hinted that American and Israel interference prevented the group from getting an additional 50 seats in parliament. He further expressed his willingness to work on a new deal. The interview with the Brotherhood leader took place as follows: Al-Masry Al-Youm: Why do you insist on leaving your post as the Brotherhood's General Guide? Mohamed Mahdi Akef: I made this decision when I was nominated. I had previously told the Brotherhood that I wish they would not elect someone over 70 years old, but they refused and elected me when I was 76 years old. I told them when I am 80, I will quit. However, they elected me again and I am facing significant pressure to stay in the position. It is not proper for someone to stay in this post for a long time. Al-Masry: Why not stay while you are still able to give? Akef: One of the Brotherhood members asked me whether old age obstructs leadership especially since I am a leader of an institutionalized group and not working alone. I responded by saying that I believe in the principle of change and reliance upon the young. Al-Masry: If the group does not want you to resign, why don't you stay in the position? Akef: Due to enormous pressure, I promised not to talk about this issue. Al-Masry: Will your term end in January? Akef: Yes … I have my own standpoint on this issue, which relates to change and the culture of the Egyptian people. It is a grave issue. In fact, I see that no one likes change and that old age kills innovation. So, before I depart, I will insist that Guidance Bureau regulations limit terms to no more than eight years, rather than being open-ended. An example of this is the post of the General Guide. I am the one who sponsored the amendment in 1994 when I was in Austria. I said the guide should only assume his post for a limited period. This is my culture, and my desire, and the Brotherhood's Shura Council agreed to my proposal. You know the security conditions in which we are living.
Al-Masry: There are many people who believe the security strikes have weakened the group. What do you think? Akef: No, the group has not been weakened, but rather reduced its activities. The group is coherent and we managed to establish a first, second and third level. Our activity was reduced as it is more reasonable to have 320 members instead of 320 detainees. Al-Masry: What do the security blows aim to achieve? Akef: To weaken, split and paralyze the group. Those who are doing this have no reason or intellect. An example of this was the forgery of local elections in which we had 10,000 candidates, but not one of us won. Al-Masry: There are people who blame you personally for the clash with the state. How do you respond? Akef: It is well-known that I am not a violent man … but a man has a right to make demands. What I said in the eras of Abdel Nasser and Sadat, I cannot disown in the era of Mubarak, because it is right. Al-Masry: The current internal split in the group is not due to security. How sharp is this split? Akef: The differences began after Mohamed Helal passed away, may God give him peace. I then issued measures to promote Essam el-Erian according to regulations. The Guidance Bureau however, interpreted the regulations in a different way. I insisted on this issue for two reasons. First, the interpretation and point of view of the general guide should be respected. Secondly, it is within my prerogative. However, they rejected it, and it is over. I love and respect them and asked them in my last speech to help me during my tenure. Al-Masry: Does this mean you have withdrawn your resignation? Akef: Indeed, I withdrew it. Al-Masry: But you said while withdrawing "I am leaving and will never return. This is an oral resignation.” Akef: I did not say so and I was nervous. I left after I concluded my work in the office and went to the ranch. All the members of the Guidance Bureau came to my home the following day. Mohamed Habibi (the deputy Guide) was in the Assiut governorate and I told him my point of view, which I still stand by. Al-Masry: Are you going to the bureau again? Akef: I go to the office daily and receive delegations from Algeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Turkey. Al-Masry: You belong to the first generation during which the Brotherhood was stronger than the state. The second generation is more open, and the older generation believes this poses a danger to the group. What do you think? Akef: I'm not scared of the state, but I am guided by the principle of steering clear of conflict with those in power. I would like to declare openly that I will not allow bloodshed in Egypt, and we will be patient for the sake of Egypt's security. Those who gloat at us are the Zionists and Americans who are only concerned with spilling the blood of more Muslims. Who is fighting in Afghanistan? It is Muslims against Muslims. That is a catastrophe. The same thing is happening in Somalia. If I could move freely, I would not be here in Egypt. Al-Masry: You attacked the Policy Secretariat [of the National Democratic Party] and said that no oppressive decisions were made, except by them… Akef: Yes. The Policy Secretariat believes that it is the government. If I don't object to oppression and corruption then I cannot be trusted to lead the nation. It was the Policy Secretariat that amended the constitution, and Article 76 was amended in the interest of Gamal Mubarak. Military courts appeared in Gamal Mubarak's era. Al-Masry: Gamal Mubarak's era? Akef: It is Gamal Mubarak who does everything now. Al-Masry: But President Mubarak is still ruling? Akef: Neither Mubarak nor Gamal. It is the security forces that are ruling now, as you and I know. They even interfere in the grading of students' exam papers in secondary and Islamic schools. They interfere in everything. Al-Masry: Is Mohamed Habib managing things now? Some say there is a secret supreme guide and secret media guide? Akef: When I became the supreme guide I said that all members of the Guidance Bureau had the full mandate of the supreme guide. I review all the decisions of the members. Al-Masry: How many Muslim Brotherhood members are there in Egypt? Akef: I don't know. Security knows the exact number, though. I don't know the number inside Egypt or outside it. In the Shura Council, there are 95 to 105 members, most of whom I do not know. Al-Masry: What are you going to do in the upcoming parliamentary elections? Akef: I don't know. I have said a hundred times before that when it comes to important issues such as elections; it is not my word alone. I ask all the members and then leave them to decide. I have 25 administrative offices where I gauge their opinions and the opinions of the majority. I ask them, should we fight the elections or not? Just like we did before in the local elections. I asked all the local offices, which numbered 18 at the time, and they said yes. Only seven objected, and I was later surprised to find that they were among the most active people. Al-Masry: Some people think the regime does not intend to let any Brotherhood member win in the upcoming parliamentary elections… Akef: What can we do? We'll do our best and leave the rest to God. Al-Masry: Is the government correct in not letting members of the Muslim Brotherhood enter parliament? Akef: I told you consultation is an obligation and an ethic. I don't think parliament has any real members except the 88 who belong to the Muslim Brotherhood. I can give you a report on the work they do every month. It reassures me. Their parliamentary performance is outstanding. But the question is: Who do they face? The Brotherhood has its policies and every member seeks to achieve his potential in his position. I do not summon them to ask them what they have achieved. They do their work and defend their opinions. If they need to consult us, they do so and we give them our opinion, but we do not interfere with their work or activities. Al-Masry: The history of the Brotherhood has shown that whenever there were confrontations and the group was subjected to tighter security measures, it became more flexible in accepting deals… Akef: As the situation is now, no one has proposed any deal. Al-Masry: Are you about to conclude a deal? Akef: Show me where those deals are… Al-Masry: We are approaching the 2011 elections… Akef: I'm asking you … where are the deals? I do not offer anything. They are the ones who offer deals. Right now there aren't any. I wish they would offer deals, even secretly. Al-Masry: What are your expectations regarding Gamal Mubarak's nomination for the presidency? Akef: If they have brains then they should not nominate him. Everyone with political power as well as the street have rejected him. He is most welcome if the nation chooses him, although I personally reject him. Al-Masry: Has a decision been made to detain you? Akef: I don't know. Several papers called on the regime to detain me, saying, "Why not the supreme guide as well?" Detaining me would be the same thing as not detaining me. Al-Masry: What are you planning to do after you leave your position as general guide? Akef: I will resume my life and move to my farm. I will just be an ordinary member of the Brotherhood, as the duties of a member are exactly the same of the general guide. I also reject the idea of being nominated to the Guidance Bureau membership. Al-Masry: Does the movement need to reconsider its ideas? Akef: If anyone sees something wrong with our thoughts, he is welcome to tell us about it, and we will reconsider the issue. Al-Masry: Mr. Heikal said you must reconsider your ideas? Akef: Heikal is a highly regarded and experienced writer, yet he knows nothing about the group. He is a friend of former president Gamal Abdel Nasser, and I have a lot of respect for him and everyone in the same field. However, I must reiterate, he knows nothing about the Brotherhood. Al-Masry: But he said you depend on Saudi Arabia for funding, and he is not the first one to address your tight relationship with the country. Akef: If that is so, why does Saudi Arabia leave us to suffer, and why does it keep on financing us despite all the problems? We fund our activities with our own money, and I swear by the Almighty God that we do not receive any money from abroad, even from Arabs. Al-Masry: Yusuf Nada is still your coordinator of international relationships, correct? Akef: Dear brother, you must know that I commission every member of the group, even those in the lowest positions. Al-Masry: We asked you the same question previously and your answer was, "If he wants to be." Akef: Yes, I said this because he was under siege. Al-Masry: What kind of authorization do you give to Nada? Akef: He is like my personal representative. He is a refined man and his conduct on the international level is worthy of respect. He is one of those hard to find personalities with whom you can have a great conversation. His contributions in the Arab world are obvious. Al-Masry: But he wrote several articles that some members considered to be damaging to the principles of the Brotherhood, especially those dealing with Shiites. Akef: What he wrote about Shiites is what we were taught, and I supported his writings. We are not addressing the doctrine itself, but rather the policy. Iran, for example, is a state that adopts a certain policy, but is still a Muslim country. The Shiites hold the same beliefs that we hold; that there is only one god and Mohammed is his messenger. They also believe in the Quran, so they are Muslims. Doctrinal differences are not our business, they are for the scholars. At the same time, I am allowed to talk about political disagreements and I have the right to decide on such issues. Al-Masry: Is Egypt going through a difficult stage? Akef: It is dying and collapsing, and the same thing is happening to the entire Arab region. This fact is disturbing; we no longer have any weight in the region. Al-Masry: Have you ever been offered a deal? Akef: This happened in 2005, when I was visited by a senior official who talked with me about the president's upcoming visit to the United States. He said he hoped that the movement would not create a furor in light of the visit. I expressed my readiness, and the man visited me twice more. My deputies attended the meeting and we agreed on several terms. At the time, ahead of the 2005 elections, there were a number of Muslim Brotherhood members behind bars, the most famous of which was Essam el-Erian. We wanted the election results to be in our favor, so I acquiesced to their demands and we nominated 150 people, and kept our word at the meeting with the security officials. Members of the Brotherhood began holding seminars and staging protest marches, and all those in jail were released. I was also surprised to see the sweeping success of the Brotherhood in the first and second rounds of the elections. However, in the third round, someone contacted me, saying Israeli President Sharon contacted George W. Bush, who contacted President Mubarak. They told me that no one will succeed in the third round, although we expected 50 nominees to make it, especially in Mansoura and Sharqiyya, which are famous strongholds for the Brotherhood. Al-Masry: Are you in communication with the security forces? Akef: There is no understanding between us. In the past, some security leaders used to communicate with us, but no longer. Al-Masry: What do you think of the new American administration? Akef: It is like its predecessor, but even worse. Bush was a … as we know. Obama is talking about peace, but he is unpredictable. A reporter from Newsweek asked me, "Obama is coming to Cairo, what do you want to say to him?" I told her, "I would like to congratulate him on the presidency and tell him that he has inherited a whole bunch of catastrophes. So I want to ask him about what he is going to do in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine. I need an answer, though not now." I know that Obama is at the top of a country governed by institutions. I want him to establish justice and freedom as he says he will. Al-Masry: The new American administration has shown its good intentions by taking the initiative to remove Hassan Nada, MB coordinator of international relationships, from the black list of people who support terrorism. Akef: That did not happen. His name was not removed by the Americans, rather they refused to remove his name, and only when the Council of Europe insisted upon it, was it removed. Al-Masry: What do you think of the names that some papers put forward as potential candidates? Akef: That's nonsense. People and the press have a lot of free time. We live in an oppressive country and we do not know what is going to happen tomorrow. Al-Masry: What do you think of the proposed names? Akef: I don't know. I didn't read them and I am not occupying myself with that. I read what I find useful, because I have the heavy burden of the press insulting me more than it writes about me. Al-Masry: So no one in the press is defending you? Akef: Very few, only Diaa Rashwan, and in a few instances Fahmi Howaidi. Al-Masry: Will the group reorganize its ranks during the coming period in order to dodge blows from security? Akef: The group is well-established and we have sections and committees, each with specific tasks to perform. If our administrative staff is arrested, new staff will replace them. I will not confront security as I do not want to create a bloodbath in the streets, which will make the Zionists, Americans and their allies in the region happy. This will never happen and I will continue to be patient in order to protect Egypt, and it does not matter if we have 300 or 500 in prison because of this. Al-Masry: But those detained include leaders? Akef: Once, there were a thousand Muslim Brotherhood members in jail and this did not undermine our group. Al-Masry: Does Ahmed Raef belong to the Brotherhood, and if so, why does he attack you? Akef: He has never been a member of the Brotherhood. I also do not know why he attacks me. Youssef Nada explained this issue. Al-Masry: Why do not you respond to him? Akef: Why do I not respond to him … Many people insulted me and I did not respond to them. I once met Ahmed Raef and he said that I had obstructed a deal with the government by demanding that President Mubarak come to my office and talk. Al-Masry: What is your view on the current situation? Akef: I said that in such matters I consult all the administrative bureaus and collect their views, and then issue a decision. This is because the general principle adopted by the Muslim Brotherhood is that everyone should take part in elections, from the People's Assembly to student elections. This is very clear, but the decision must be taken at the right time. Al-Masry: What about the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood? Akef: I say as strongly as possible that those who believe in the Muslim Brotherhood believe they should serve their homeland and live in accordance with the Brotherhood's approach. No one is using the term international organization. Is it prohibited for the Muslim Brotherhood to have an international organization? Al-Masry: Are you saying there is not an international organization? Akef: We are trying our best to succeed. There is a general level of coordination between the existing Islamic groups, most of which belong to the Muslim Brotherhood. Al-Masry: What is your connection to the Wasat party? Akef: I have no connection with the Wasat party and I do not want to talk about it. I would not say a word about it as I am not its chairman and know nothing about it. Go and talk to its leader. Al-Masry: Will you bless the "Mayehkomsh" (Lit. "You don't have the right to rule") movement? Akef: Yes, and I will attend their next meeting as I have a meeting with the Brotherhood MPs. I did not go to the previous "Mayehkomsh" meeting, but we had representatives there. Al-Masry: Who is the next general guide? Akef: I do not know and I do not want to know. I also do not like taking a stand on this issue. Al-Masry: When will you sit down with the members of the Guidance Bureau? Akef: I do not know. I am really astonished by this issue, meaning the debate around the promotion of Essam el-Erian, which is not worth arguing about. El-Erian is a noble, honest and blessed man who offers brilliant remarks, and I hold him in the highest esteem. Al-Masry: The failure to promote el-Erian means there is a conflict in the Guidance Bureau, does it not? Akef: No Al-Masry: Are there some people in the bureau against him? Akef: This is not a conflict, but it does mean that there are some people who are "not satisfied with him." Al-Masry: But there is unanimous opposition to his promotion. Do you think this is a healthy phenomenon? Akef: This is a very healthy phenomenon. Al-Masry: Is it possible that a security infiltration of the group took place? Akef: Someone told me that the bureau was infiltrated and I insulted him. I do not like to hear such things. Security can do everything, but if they infiltrate the group, they are unaware that it is in the interest of the Brotherhood, not against it. Al-Masry: There are some people who believe Essam el-Erian's thoughts are innovative. What do you think? Akef: No, his thoughts are identical to those of Mohamed Akef, and those who say otherwise are mistaken. Al-Masry: Is there a secret [in the bureau] that you do not know about? Akef: Yes, and I am not in a hurry to know it. There is something mysterious. Al-Masry: If you find out the secret behind what happened in the Guidance Bureau, will you announce it? Akef: If the announcement is necessary, I will announce it. If it is not worthy of being announced, I will not. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
