Egypt Islamists See Chance in Democracy

After years of crackdown under Hosni Mubarak’s regime, Islamic groups now find a favorable atmosphere in Egypt to convey their message through politics and democratic means.

“Before, we thought you could remove the infidel ruler only through force,” Gamaa al-Islamiya leader Nageh Ibrahim, who spent 24 years in prison, told the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, April 3.
“Today, we see we can do it through peaceful protest and the ballot box.”
Notorious for deadly attacks, Gamaa al-Islamiya has led a violent campaign in Egypt in the 1980s and 1990s.
The group was behind the assassination of former president Anwar al-Sadat in a military parade in 1981.
It was also behind the massacre that left 62 people, mostly foreign tourists, Luxor in 1997.
“We were young and we took extreme measures,” Ibrahim said, recognizing that the group was mistaken in using violence to enforce change.
“But now we’re old men and our time in prison has made us wiser.”
Ibrahim, who was a young medical student when he joined the group, blamed ousted president Mubarak for violence in the 1980s and 1990s by following an anti-religion agenda.
“Mubarak basically banned religion. There was always a crackdown,” Ibrahim charged.
Mubarak took office after the assassination of his predecessor Sadat.
He declared emergency under which security forces had massive powers to detain opponents, including Islamic leaders.
Mubarak was ousted on February 11 after 18 days of popular protests.

Democracy

Ibrahim said that violence has often prompted the government to hit harder at Islamic groups.
“The state could always hit us back harder than we could hit them. It became practical to stop violence and look for a peaceful way,” he said.
Ibrahim recognized that violence has tarnished the image of Islam.
“Over the years, it became apparent that violence harmed us and the image of Islam,” he said.
“I discovered while studying Shari`ah law in prison that Islam didn’t entitle us to bloodshed.”
Getting out of prison in 2005, Ibrahim found a different Egypt in which a younger generation was restless for political expression and economic opportunity.
“Today’s young grew up freer than we did. They did not develop the same rage that inspired us,” he said.
Under the new atmosphere in Egypt, Ibrahim says that violence would not find listening ears.
“The young saw that violence didn’t bring change to Egypt, a peaceful revolution did.”
Though he says his group believes in pluralism, he opposes Copts and women to run for president.
“A Copt could run as president, but Egypt is a Muslim nation, and a Christian president would escalate tensions. Does France have a Muslim president?” he said with a smile.
“I don’t think a woman should be president. The Middle East is too complicated.”

Source: OnIslam