Thursday, 12 March 2015

Salafists, state and society… again




As expected… the state institutions and regime respond to what some people write in newspapers, including me, as if we say nothing… even if one of those papers is the prestigious Al Ahram newspaper with its history we all know.

As I wrote two weeks ago wondering about the secret behind the silence of state institutions, especially the interior ministry, ministry of endowments and the presidency as well, towards what salafists say and do, atop of those salafists is the member of parliament and member of the “values” committee; Yasser Burahmi… as what he said hits the concepts of citizenship, national unity, the country civilization, cultural and social cohesion in the heart… not to mention that it goes against the state constitution and laws and which may rise to the level of crime.

This Burahmi did not only question the faith of the Christian Egyptian citizens nor say that their destiny will be in hell, but also described anyone who disagrees to what he says or objects to his deeds, which are against the constitution, law and all cultural and civilization values, as mean atheists.

Despite that all what this Burhami and his likes said and published online, especially on Facebook, not a single response from the interior ministry, ministry of endowments or the attorney general was issued… it is known that the ministry of endowments is not involved in this matter because it let him give his speeches in mosques saying that he managed to pass the exam they set for this which I do not know if it includes a question asking about the stance toward citizenship, constitution texts and law articles?... also, does it inquire about the stance toward the Quranic verses saying that we all should leave any inter-faiths dispute for God to be the judge in them in the afterlife?

Such talking about draining terrorism sources until it falls down is nothing but nonsense… also talking about renovating Dawaa discourse known as the religious discourse… since the most dangerous ideological, Fiqhi and also financial sources of terrorism come from those who think of religion as just a short garment, shaved moustache and strictness of empty souls that are against everything that is beautiful; whether feelings, arts or talents.

I saw an episode of the TV-show presented by the respected media figure Mona Salman on one of the satellite channels… I was surprised when they hinted at an open interview they had with a group of people including Nader Bakkar; the known salafist figure… the one who introduces himself and salafists, too, introduce him as one of their most open-minded figures.

The salafists’ website re-broadcasted the interview and then I saw an unbelievable thing… the salafists’ website kept the video going when Bakkar was speaking but when it was Mrs. Mona Salman’s turn to speak, they blurred her face image with this known digital technique used to blur faces of criminals in the cases disputed in courts… as if this respected lady is a convicted criminal!

Of course, we know why they blurred her face like this on their website… because they consider the woman’s face an Awra, meaning it must be covered… why not? One of their known figures, called al-Howaini, had already once said that the woman’s face is like her vulva… just like this!

After all this… after all what Burhami, the salafists’ website, al-Howaini and their likes say and do, the salafists stay in their political, Dawaa and media positions as if they do blackmail the state and ruling regime institutions.

Curtailing religion into a short garment, shaved moustache and bushy shaggy beard is a symptom of a more profound illness; that is the strictness and soul emptiness that go against anything beautiful.

Such soul emptiness is well represented in depriving people from taking command of their relation with God… as those cruel harsh salafists do not believe in supplications between man and God in the form this man feels comfortable in… to them, all prayers, supplications and poetry created by human consciences loyal in their belief and faith are nothing but heresies.

Such strictness is also represented in denying any yearning for prophet Muhammed’s family, their love, glorifying them and anyone who took passion as a way to reach the full knowledge without dropping a single pillar of faith.

Such emptiness and strictness we can see in their way in calling for prayers… in their way of discussing and dealing with people; whether Muslims or non-Muslims… as their arrogance and pretending that they alone possess the truth appear… such roughness has to do with their denial to everything beautiful… as music… plastic art… sculpture… opera and acting… art in general… good manners… elegant dressing… to the rest of concepts that lie in the dictionary of beauty… in their opinion, all these are heresies whose creators will go to the deepest bottom of hell.

I noticed the interests of many of them and found that they focus on land and real estate trading and constructing buildings… also, they are professional in infringing regulations… I cannot forget the scene I was watching from the balcony of my house at the seventh floor… as the maximum altitude of violation storeys – again, I repeat… violation – was ten storeys… while the allowed altitude of the building was four and later became two times and a half double the width of the street as I think.

I saw some of those salafists establishing a fence around a piece of land then they used the water of the fireplug to mix the cement into concrete… the building kept going higher and higher until it became seventeen storeys… and whenever the municipal officials come, those salafists hide until they finished… I asked one of them whether it is Halal or Haram to use the water of the fire hydrant in building the foundations and seventeen storeys… and of course, his answer was based upon what al-Albani said!

In addition to their trading in lands and real estate, they also trade in cattle, meat and dairy products… and so, one finds himself standing before corpulent bulky bodies lacking any sentiments or taste… starting from bushy shaggy beards and not ending by denying all that is beautiful.

After all this, the ministry of endowments allows those, who act against the constitution and law and who despise emotions and beauty, to give sermons in mosques claiming that they passed the exam! Also, the interior ministry stays silent towards the public incitement against Christians and against everyone committed to the principle of citizenship… it also seems that the stance of the presidency is vague as I have not heard for once a presidential question for Mr. Makhion inquiring about what Burham and salafists in general say against Christians and against proper teachings of religion.

Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar




This article was published in Al Ahram newspaper on March 12, 2015.

To see the original article, go to:


#alahram #ahmed_elgammal #salafists

No comments:

Post a Comment