Egypt’s Two-Faced Regime: Not Secular, Not Islamic, Authoritarian
There is an increasing realization amongst Egypt’s opposition political factions that the regime has no ideology to defend, least of all a secular one. The regime’s crackdowns on the Muslim Brotherhood are not part of a sincere attempt to uphold “secularist” values, such as democracy, pluralism and civil rights. They are simply measures to quash political opponents. In fact, these so-called “secularist” values are embraced by the Muslim Brotherhood.
The regime was not sincerely upholding Islamist values when it sentenced Amer to prison for attacking Islam. As an Islamist, I am of course against the hate speech and the anti-Islamic sentiments Amer expressed in his blog. But I am also against his imprisonment, which I’m sure is politically motivated, merely because he harshly criticized the president.
If attacking Islam is a “punishable crime” in the regime’s eyes, why wasn’t the minister of culture prosecuted when he attacked al-Azhar and Islamic Shariah, just as Amer did? If the constitution’s second article stipulates that Islamic Shariah is the main source of legislation, then why does the regime ban any political activity based on a religious ideology? The answer, again, is simple: The regime has monopolized religion.
MB op-ed defends Kareem Amer
An intriguing op-ed by a young Muslim Brother:
Now this is interesting. Perhaps someone in Morocco will wake up and say the same thing in support of the magazine -Moroccan joke case.
[…] for The Arabist, Issandr El Amrani links to an article written by a Muslim Brotherhood author in defence of jailed Egyptian blogger Kareem […]
“As an Islamist, I am of course against the hate speech and the anti-Islamic sentiments Amer expressed in his blog.”
Kareen must suffer because he attacked the regime and because the regime feels the anti-islam charge will make the Islamist’s happy. How stupid. The only interest the MB has is to use it against the pathetic government in power. If and when the Islamists come to power, it will only get worse. Christian blood will flow red in the streets of Egypt.
As an Islamist, you are against free speech, not hate speech. If you were against hate speech, you would reject the the Quran, which in case you haven’t noticed is full of hate speech against non-Muslims. If Islamists were in power, this young man would already be dead. You are just using this case to advance your agenda, just like the government. One group is as evil and pathetic as the other. Poor Egypt.
Yes, Kareens writing was anti-Islam. However, he only wrote the truth as he saw it and as it is. He witnessed mobs of Muslims attacking Copts. Is it wrong to talk about that? Is that hate speech? He said that Islam’s great prophet attacked, plundered, murdered and enslaved. That is exactly what is found in the hadiths, Islam’s own traditions, in case you care to read them. He said there was a link between the two events. Could be. Makes sense to me.
Is it wrong to have an opinion? Is it hate speech? Is it wrong to tell the truth?
Things are going to get worse because Muslims cannot be honest and will not respect other people.
John Kactuz
PS: Tell me, don’t Muslims have any faith in Allah? Don’t they think he (their god) can punish apostates and infidels? It appears that they don’t trust him to punish people like Kareen and others who leave Islam, so they have to do it themselves. That tells one a lot about this religion, and its followers. Think about this, why don’t you…
Quite the philosopher, our little John.
Yeah, I can picture the Brotherhood running through the streets slaying copts.
Well John Kactuz, you clearly do not know enough about Islam talking that way. First of all, you cannot say on god’s writings "hate speech." A warning of leaving your deity was never a hate speech. And I believe Islam is not the only religion which despises losing followers.
I never, in any case, have heard that our prophet (Pbuh), have ever enslaved, nor murdered, nor plundered. His dire enemies were known to keep their belongings with him during their times of war with others because they know how honest he was. Too hard to believe for non-followers and those who do not know the meaning of faith. Please, before you speak about anything, not only religion, make sure you know what you are saying. It is people like you who keep spreading wrong idea and thoughts. And calling "murdering, enslaving, and plundering" Islamic traditions? There is no hope for the people like you champ.
Try searching "argument". Your statement "hings are going to get worse because Muslims cannot be honest and will not respect other people" is groundless, and shows either your low illiteracy in news or how ignorant you are. Check how Christians are treated in Muslim countries, and how We, the Muslims, are treat in countries like france etc..
And based on your last argument your saying, that if we have faith, that means we should let any crime go by without charging the doers. Seems like a pretty stupid thing to say. God told us Muslims, "take actions with cause." I would doubt a person like you would know what it means, based on what you said, however, we cannot just say "we have faith in god, so he will take care of everything for us, even punishing crime." This is the funniest argument I have ever read so far.