Egypt raises fuel prices, imposes one-year freeze amid cost pressures    Egypt courts Indian green energy investment in talks with Ocior Energy    Egypt, India hold first strategic dialogue to deepen ties    Egypt: Guardian of Heritage, Waiting for the World's Conscience    Egypt, Qatar sign MoU to boost cooperation in healthcare, food safety    EGX ends week mostly higher on Oct. 16    Egyptian Amateur Open golf tournament relaunches after 15-year hiatus    Egypt, UK, Palestine explore financing options for Gaza reconstruction ahead of Cairo conference    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Egypt explores cooperation with Chinese firms to advance robotic surgery    Fragile Gaza ceasefire tested as humanitarian crisis deepens    CBE, China's National Financial Regulatory sign MoU to strengthen joint cooperation    AUC makes history as 1st global host of IMMAA 2025    Avrio Gold to launch new jewellery, bullion factory in early 2026    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Cabinet hails Sharm El-Sheikh peace summit as turning point for Middle East peace    Gaza's fragile ceasefire tested as aid, reconstruction struggle to gain ground    Egypt's human rights committee reviews national strategy, UNHRC membership bid    Al-Sisi, world leaders meet in Sharm El-Sheikh to coordinate Gaza ceasefire implementation    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths one of largest New Kingdom Fortresses in North Sinai    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Egypt Writes Calm Anew: How Cairo Engineered the Ceasefire in Gaza    Egypt's acting environment minister heads to Abu Dhabi for IUCN Global Nature Summit    Egyptian Open Amateur Golf Championship 2025 to see record participation    Cairo's Al-Fustat Hills Park nears completion as Middle East's largest green hub – PM    El-Sisi boosts teachers' pay, pushes for AI, digital learning overhaul in Egypt's schools    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Egypt reviews Nile water inflows as minister warns of impact of encroachments on Rosetta Branch    Egypt aims to reclaim global golf standing with new major tournaments: Omar Hisham    Egypt to host men's, juniors' and ladies' open golf championships in October    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Khaled el-Gendi: mindshifter of tomorrow … or not
Published in Bikya Masr on 05 - 10 - 2009

Khaled El Gendi, or like his followers call him “sheikh,” has shown our conservative nation his true colors. In an interview with al-Youm al-Saba'a, Gendi released his intolerant and rigid ideology where he attacked Gamal al-Banna, calling the 87-year-old scholar “ill mannered” and someone who has a “bathroom ideology.”
Gamal al-Banna is one of the few remaining progressive Muslim scholars, in a sea of white Galabiyas, head scared sheikhs, the man stands out with progressive thoughts that shock those who are debating if teddy bears are Halal or Haram.
Gendi conducted a survey on his new channel asking viewers to send their thoughts on whether al-Banna should be a guest on the channel or not. When asked by the reporter why he said: “Because he is an ill-mannered man and insults Al-Azhar people and I am really hesitant in asking him to be a guest on the channel and conversing with him, despite the fact that I think what he says is not Islamic thinking, but toilet thinking.”
“لأنه رجل سيئ الأدب ويشتم ويسب فى رجال الأزهر وأنا فى حقيقة الأمر متردد بشأن صلاحيته للظهور فى القناة والتحاور معه وإن كنت أعتقد أنه لا يصلح لأن ما يقوله ليس فكرا )إسلاميا وإنما «فكر مراحيض
Gendi, who, as for some who is called a “Sheikh” and hence has a strong reference to the Qur'an, how dare he say that about a fellow Muslim; not a fellow scholar, as Gendi is as far from being a scholar as any of his listeners. Where is his Islamic compassion or even manners at the very least.
Gendi, who made headlines a few years back for a marriage overdose started the whole Islamic business ring tones with his Islamic company years back. Not just profiting from the attention of the simple-minded who listen to his words, he is now the proud owner of a satellite channel called “Azhari” (someone who belongs or has been associated with Al Azhar) where he claims the channel “will sort out those who know and those who don’t.”
In the same interview, Gendi insults women, saying “women are always after the biggest rewards possible” and “Islam gave women their full rights and now there are men who ACT LIKE WOMEN in asking for more rights.” How obscene.
Gendi, who has thousands of followers online and offline, said that Baha'is really belong to Israel and that he doubts they are truly Egyptians. To mount the hate cake, Gendi described his new channel's policy as “tolerant” and aims to unify the whole country and “protect the Egyptian unity cloths” a tone killed by Mubarak’s regime.
An obvious rival of anyone who is not a male Muslim, Gendi succeeds in dropping our jaws in confusion and disgust. Being that influential on others, educated or not, is a huge responsibility, one that Gendi is determined to make the best and the worst of. Besides having more one big “Islamic” company and a TV channel, there is no stopping the Gendi ideology now. An ideology that attacks those who disagree, minimize women, spread hate towards Baha'is and question their patriotism and more often make big bucks off his Islamic Empire.
The article got very angry responses from Baha'is, but even more hateful responses from Fundamental Muslims, fans of Gendi who applauded him for his “courage” and wise sense to go after al-Banna and Baha'is.
Was what Gendi said a publicity stunt to promote his new project? Maybe. But more dangerously, his words are echoed through thousands of followers, turning Gendi into the fearless hero who attacks and insults without a notion of shame or even some level of language intelligence.
I, for one, will never watch his channel or future channels and most probably will never listen to him preach, but those who will, are definitely in for a mindshifting scary ride.
**Manar Ammar is an Egyptian journalist and contributor to Bikya Masr. This article originally appeared on her blog.
BM


Clic here to read the story from its source.