August 25, 2005    No.969

Egyptian Author Tarek Heggy: The Muslim Brotherhood's Goal Is to
Establish a Militarized Religious State as a Base for Waging War 
on the Infidel West

In an article in the Egyptian weekly Roz Al-Yousef, Egyptian author
and intellectual Tarek Heggy responded to recent indications that
Washington is ready to accept the risk of having the Muslim
Brotherhood in power. In his article, Heggy points to the
organization's fundamentalist, anti-democratic character, and asserts
that while democratic reforms are necessary, they should not be made
in a hasty manner that would allow the opponents of democracy to take
power.

The following are excerpts from the article: [1]
The "Muslim Brotherhood" Aims to Take Over the Islamic World

"With eruption of public protests in Egypt against and the
government's anti-democracy crackdown, public attention has focused 
on the radical Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a
transnational organization, established in Egypt in 1928, which aims
to take over the Islamic world. Its goal is establishing a Caliphate,
a religious militarized state, as the base to wage war against the
'infidel' West. The Muslim Brotherhood today is the best-organized
political force in many Arab countries.

"The hasty promotion of democracy may bring the Brotherhood to power
in Egypt, Syria, Jordan and elsewhere. While some in Washington are
ready to accept this risk, it may entail dangerous unintended
consequences.

"It is important to understand the political thinking of the Muslim
Brotherhood, in hopes of shedding some light on an issue many people
in the world need to understand."

The Brotherhood Wants to Subject Politics to the Shari'a

"Unlike Western democracies, which guarantee the political
participation of all citizens regardless of ideology, opinion or
religion, the Brotherhood makes political participation of individuals
in society subject to the principles of Islamic holy law (the
Shari'a). While in the West, the legislative and judiciary branches of
government monitor state actions to ensure they conform to democratic
rules, the actions of the state would be monitored by the Brotherhood
to ensure they conform to the rules of Shari'a.

[...]

The Brotherhood Calls for Revival of the Caliphate

"Contrary to the democratic governmental system, based on peaceful
rotation of power by elections, the Brotherhood calls for a government
based on the principles of Shari'a and the revival of the Islamic
Caliphate.

"The freedom of association enjoyed by civil organizations in a
democracy would, in an Islamist system, be conditional on their
adherence to the strictures of Shari'a.

"The Brotherhood opposes the notion of a state based on democratic
institutions, calling instead for an Islamic government based on the
Shura (consultative assembly) system, veneration of the leader and the
investiture of a Supreme Guide. In this, they are close to the model
established by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Iran, which
enables diehard conservatives (a group to which the Supreme Guide
belongs) to nip any reform or renewal in the bud."

The Brotherhood will Never Recognize the Legitimacy of Israel

"Over the last 57 years, the Brotherhood has opposed all attempts for
a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The organization
will never recognize the legitimacy of Israel.

"The Brotherhood calls for a constitutional and legal system based on
the principles of Shari'a, including cruel corporal punishments in the
penal code (stoning, lashing, cutting off the hands of thieves, etc.).
The Muslim Brotherhood has never condemned use of violence against
civilians, except when directed against Muslims.

"Finally, modern progress is realized by two tools - science and
modern management. These are two disciplines of which the Brotherhood
has not a vaguest idea. Instead, it promulgates a retrograde ideology,
which can be deadly for sustainable economic development, growth in
investment, and equality.

"Promoting democracy in the Middle East is an imperative necessity for
all humanity. Given the right steps, the peoples of the Middle East
(as Professor Bernard Lewis has repeatedly expounded) are capable of
flourishing democratic societies. However, a hasty transformation is
likely to be disastrous for the forces of progress in Egypt and in the
Middle East."

[1] Roz Al-Yousef (Egypt), May 13, 2005. The article, translated by
the author into English, was published by The Washington Times on June
3, 2005. 

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Full article at "Middle East Media Research Institute" ...
http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP96905


Cheers, Steve..

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