An Islamist President in Egypt?
The rise of Hazem Salah Abu Ismail.
With the former president of Egypt on his back in a courtroom cage pleading for
his life, we may be starting to get a clearer idea of who Egyptians will choose to
succeed Hosni Mubarak in the upcoming November elections. Friday, July 29, tens of thousands of Islamists filled Tahrir Square, repossessing
it from the secular activists who are commonly credited with spearheading the
revolution that toppled Mubarak in February. What the Islamists wanted was
recognition for their past role and appreciation of their growing political power.
Muslim Brotherhood members mixed with Salafists, a more conservative variety
of Islamist, as well as others sympathetic to their vision of an Egypt in line with
God’s law. They prayed, protested, and chanted, and there was only one name on everyone’s lips—Hazem Salah Abu Ismail. Meet the man who may well follow
Mubarak as Egypt’s first Islamist president.
HAZEM SALAH ABU ISMAIL
This 50-year-old lawyer is no stranger
to large crowds and acclaim. He’s a TV
star whose weekly broadcasts on various
religious channels over the last few years
have covered a wide range of issues, from
Islamic history and jurisprudence to
politics and economics. Abu Ismail
promotes Islamic finance, wants more
sharia in the Egyptian constitution, and
thinks the peace treaty with Israel should
be trashed—all are controversial positions.
to large crowds and acclaim. He’s a TV
star whose weekly broadcasts on various
religious channels over the last few years
have covered a wide range of issues, from
Islamic history and jurisprudence to
politics and economics. Abu Ismail
promotes Islamic finance, wants more
sharia in the Egyptian constitution, and
thinks the peace treaty with Israel should
be trashed—all are controversial positions.
Abu Ismail announced his candidacy at the
end of May, and if his success has taken some observers by surprise, it’s worth remembering that the Islamists’ show of strength at Tahrir also left bystanders and participants breathless. How did it come to pass that what seemed like a secular and democratic revolution could turn Islamist all of a sudden? The fact is, if Egypt is going
to become a real democracy, then Islamists are going to play a major role, perhaps
even the predominant role, at least for the present. Read the rest on:
end of May, and if his success has taken some observers by surprise, it’s worth remembering that the Islamists’ show of strength at Tahrir also left bystanders and participants breathless. How did it come to pass that what seemed like a secular and democratic revolution could turn Islamist all of a sudden? The fact is, if Egypt is going
to become a real democracy, then Islamists are going to play a major role, perhaps
even the predominant role, at least for the present. Read the rest on:
by translatingjihad on Nov 15, 2011
According to the Weekly Standard (http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/islamist-president-egypt_592143.html?pag
[h/t theegyptianrose (http://www.youtube.com/user/theegyptianrose)]
[h/t theegyptianrose (http://www.youtube.com/user/theegyptianrose)]
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