Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    US employment cost index 3.6% up in year to June 2025    Egypt welcomes Canada, Malta's decision to recognise Palestinian state    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Sterling set for sharpest monthly drop since 2022    Egypt, Brazil sign deal to boost pharmaceutical cooperation    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    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.



In Focus: Suppressing the Muslim Brotherhood is not a solution
Published in Daily News Egypt on 04 - 03 - 2008

The Egyptian regime is mistaken if it thinks that it can exclude the Muslim Brotherhood from the political arena, not only because they are the only power with popular and organizational influence, but also because they represent an Egyptian cultural and intellectual state - that is, seeing religion as a means to reform and change.
Therefore it is difficult to assume that repression and arrests against Muslim Brotherhood members could lead to reducing their influence on the Egyptian street. On the contrary, this is a tool that makes the Brotherhood more appealing and at the same time exposes the authoritarian regime and its rejection of any political or social rival.
Objectively, there are real social risks on the horizon because of the ongoing crackdown exercised by the regime against the Brotherhood. First, such suppression will increase the conservative trend within the group. This already spurs conservatives to lose confidence in the exercise of political action on the grounds that the cost is greater than the gains. The worst is that it might affect the Brotherhood's younger generation, leading them - under exacerbating pressure on the group - to rejecting and despising the regime and to striving for its removal.
Unfortunately, while preparing my book about the Muslim Brotherhood I sensed an increasingly conservative young trend among the group; some embracing Salafi ideas that are completely removed from the open discourse of the group and similar to the traditional Salafist discourse.
Second, it reinforces the conservative trend that has been steadily growing in Egyptian society.
Here, I am not only talking about a religious trend, but a cultural one as well. We see that an increasing closed religious and cultural discourse is almost dominating the Egyptian social scene.
The dilemma of this discourse lies in the fact that it is an isolationistic discourse that deepens societal passivity and calls for isolation from the "other . It also ascribes the roots of its daily problems to religious metaphysical reasons, reflecting a kind of convincing escape from facing a miserable political and social reality afflicting our country.
Third, it increases the passivity of citizens and distracts them from paying attention to public affairs or contributing to the process of change that Egypt has been experiencing since 2004. Repressive procedures against the Muslim Brotherhood push many people to keep silence, not to support them or participate in any political action for fear of imprisonment.
It is not in the interest of either the ruling regime, the opposition, the Muslim Brotherhood, Muslims or Copts to have a political scene that resembles a boxing match between the Brotherhood and the regime; a game in which spectators are confused, as there is no visible end to this absurd scene.
This takes place at a time when there is an isolationistic view growing on the margins, eroding our moderate culture, and chiseling a thick wall between us and the outer world.
That is why one of the possible exits from this scene is to break the vicious circle by changing the rules of the game between the two sides, either through the entry of a third party, which is unlikely at this stage, or through rearranging the stage to replace the constant conflicts and challenges with calm and cooperation.
It makes me wonder why the regime does not allow the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest moderate Islamist group in the Arab world, to exercise some sort of social and political activity, within a set framework, giving them a channel instead of suffocating them, even though they can be suppressed at any time by constitutional, legal and security tools to stop their activities?
On the other hand, why does the Brotherhood not give up their narcissism as the know-it-all of the nation s interests and the most qualified to defend its dignity. Rather, they should concentrate only on providing services to their community through dissemination of tolerance and moderation.
They should show willingness to cooperate with the regime, or at least with its new elite, in order to bring about a stable and secure social and political transformation in Egypt, especially since the group does not represent a real political threat to the survival of the regime; at least not at this stage.
In short, why does the group not engage in a positive, pragmatic (even if undeclared) dialogue, so that each party recognizes the strength of the other, and both should be aware that there are limits in the relationship between them that must not be transgressed. This will be based on a social common denominator, hoping to end the historical rupture between the sons of our homeland.
Is this possible?
Khalil Al-Anani is an expert on Political Islam and Deputy Editor of Al Siyassa Al Dawliya journal published by Al-Ahram Foundation.


Clic here to read the story from its source.