The respected Egyptian newpaper Al Masry Al Youm is reporting that, despite prevarications and previous hints to the contrary, a senior figure in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood says that its new political party will maintain the position that neither a woman nor a Christian can be president of Egypt.
It reports that Saad al-Husseini, a member of the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau, its highest executive body, stated that while the “Freedom and Justice” party’s new platform must still be approved by the Guidance Office and its Shura Council, it will adhere to the Ikhwan’s position on the presidency, which has been that a woman cannot hold final power over a man, nor a non-Muslim over a Muslim. Husseini added the confusing caveat that this “does not mean we impose this opinion on the people, who have inherent jurisdiction in this regard.” This seems to mean that Egyptians may vote to have such a president, but that if the Brotherhood itself has the votes, it will not allow it.
The same paper also reports that the Brotherhood wants only small changes to the constitution and is pushing for a ‘yes’ vote in the March 19 referendum on proposed constitutional amendments, ones that still preserve a strong presidency. It is also describing the revolution begun on January 25 as an “Islamic revolution,” saying: “The revolution’s slogans, such as ‘freedom,’ ‘social justice’ and ‘equality’ — all of these can be found in Islamic Law.”
— Paul Marshall is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom.
To be fair, Paul, most Americans don't want a female or non-Christian president either. Come to think of it, most people the world over do not want a female or a confessor of a minority religion as their head of government. And a candidate who was both would have almost no shot. The big difference between those people and the MB is that the MB makes it explicit, while most Westerners will only reveal that preference in their voting patterns.
A female Muslim president in the US may be more likely than a female Christian president in Egypt, but not by all that much. And obviously, I'd bet my bottom dollar that the overwhelming majority of Egyptians happen to agree with the MB on this one. Does this make most Egyptians radicals? Well, only if you buy the notion that the MB is outside of the Islamic mainstream, which is far from obvious.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn other news, the sun rose in the east this morning...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWho's social justice... the left or the voluntary charitable acts also seen in Christianity? If the former, then Glenn Beck has a point.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseALL parties are democratic prior to winning power. You want to know how 'democratic' they are you wait and see what they do to the loser after the first election.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Most Americans don't want a female or non-Christian president either" -- ? Pretty broad statement. I don't want Hillary Clinton to be president, but that doesn't mean I've got anything against a female president.
... and I won't even touch the 'non-Christian' comment.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, Sage was really on to something . . .
Briefly, until he/she ventured that we can in any way judge the opinions of the "Islamic mainstream", if by that term he/she meant MUSLIM mainstream.
Islamic = Islamist, and I'm told all the time that Islamists are out of the mainstream. It's almost akin to being in ear shot of Goebels every five seconds - I've been told that so often, I start to believe it, regardless of its veracity.
If Sage meant "Muslim mainstream", as I surmise he/she did, then we don't know their opinions on ANYTHING, because, for very sound survival reasons, they refuse to divulge them. The Islamics "outside the mainstream" provide some nasty but effective incentives for large swaths of Arab and Muslim societies (mainstream or no) to stay mum.
IEDs, "suicide" bombers, strict daily law enforcement adherence to Sharia punishments for blaspheming the Muslim religion: they all serve to silence whatever "mainstream" may exist.
My guess is that any actual members of any "Muslim Mainstream" don't really know what they think themselves, if they're honest. I mean, have they been encouraged by their civic institutions to think critically for themselves? And how long does one live in fear of even whispering one's opinions before one would forget what it feels like to even think an original thought?
Boy, I'm sure glad we don't have a female Muslim leader right about now, because I'd have no way to judge how free I am to say anything I just did (even prior to that last statement), and I don't want to live like a dissident. I would, mind you, but it's not an attractive lifestyle.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"prevarications"
Umm, perhaps a ...regional characteristic.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI bet you can find a bunch of Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims who do not think a woman should be a US president. I bet the number of US citizens who thought a woman should be president 100 years ago was very small.
So, this is just a view of a radical group. But, then, could anti-abortion Christians also be deemed a radical group? The Muslem Brotherhood is likely anti-abortion. What about supporters of the death penalty, when most of the world has outlawed it? The Muslem Brotherhood likely supports the death penalty.
I would venture the Muslem Brotherhood has more in common politically with the elected representatives of Texas than the elected representatives of, say, Denmark. Does that make the elected representatives of Texas bad by association?
Don't get me wrong, I think the Muslim Brotherhood has dangerous views. But their views are not that extreme.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood ... Saad al-Husseini, a member of the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau, its highest executive body, stated ...this “does not mean we impose this opinion on the people, who have inherent jurisdiction in this regard.” "
Translation: the people may choose who they wish to, but if it is a female or a nonmuslim or an insufficiently pure muslim, we will kill her or him.
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