CAIRO - News emerging from the coastal city of Alexandria reveals that Salafists (die-hard Muslim fundamentalists adhering irreconcilably to an outdated understanding of Islam and its tenets) control 1,000 of its 4,000 mosques. This news, disappointing those who call for a liberal society in post-revolutions Egypt, confirms that Salafists-controlled mosques are acting as breeding grounds for fundamentalist controversial thoughts and ideologies. In its recent history, Alexandria has been a fertile ground for Muslim fundamentalist ideologies. It could be that the city's distance from the capital Cairo encouraged fundamentalists to use it as a safe haven. However, a group of thinkers, who were closely scrutinising the rise of fundamentalism in Egypt long before the revolution, maintain that Alexandria's metropolitan glamour provides a safe atmosphere for fundamentalists arriving from Upper Egypt to spread their thoughts. Salafists stated their identity in Alexandria some 32 years ago. Their growing influence echoed across various provinces, particularly after the revolution, which enabled them to get rid of restrictions. The Salafists crossed swords first at Alexandria University, a public university, in 1977 when the six students Yasser Burhami, Saeed Abdel-Azim, Ahmed Farid, Mohamed Ismail, Mohamed Abdel-Fattah and Abdel-Monem el-Shahat proclaimed ‘the principal council of Dawa Salafiya (call)'. Their platforms were launched at four mosques in the Alexandria districts of Moustafa Kamel, Polkly, Bacus and Sidi Bishr. Introducing themselves to the press last week, their spokesman confirmed that they were committed to the texts of the holy Qur'an and Prophet Mohamed's Sunna (teachings and deeds). The spokesman said proudly that in spite of the opposition to their manifesto three decades ago, they gained much popularity in Egypt, Europe and Asia. Saeed Abdel-Azim, a Salafist preacher, said it was not true that they would resort to violence if Egyptians, including Copts, opposed their teachings. Abdel-Azim told Al-Mousawar weekly magazine that their growing popularity was mainly based on the refusal of violent acts against Muslims and Copts in Egypt. “We also appreciate scientific progress and development,” he emphasised, intending to correct the allegedly distorted reputation based on violence against Copts in Upper Egypt. He disclosed that they had received invitations to address big conferences in the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Turkey. He agreed that their voice had become louder after the toppling of Mubarak's regime. The Salafists also took advantage of the vacuum created by the disintegration of the nightmarish State Security Agency. Abdel-Azim also expressed the hope that Salafist candidates in the forthcoming parliamentary elections would not go home empty-handed. He was sure that the atmosphere of freedom in post-revolution Egypt would increase their chance in the election battle scheduled to take place later this year. The spokesman for the Salafists community in Alexandria accuse independent and semi-official newspapers and television channels of inadvertently – or deliberately – damaging the image of Salafists by misquoting them. Also rejecting fears in connection with their relationship with Copts, influential Salafists assert that members of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces shook hands with them, acknowledging that Salafists had protected many churches during the mayhem and violence of the revolution.
