In a moment I threw
away what I was reading and stared not believing what I heard and not imaging
that this person was saying with such stubborn insistence… I saw Seif
Abdel-Fattah; that face that I saw tens of times in seminars, conferences,
lectures, meetings and on TV screens… I do not want to describe his features
lest some may say that I talk about people’s faults.
I here impose an
exclaiming and denying question in the same time; how a professor of political
sciences in the biggest and most important Egyptian university, and also an
intellectual, who regarded himself and people too regarded him as one who belongs
to that political ideology which came to be called the balanced enlightened
Islamic current. He was as well one of those who had the opportunity to be part
of the highest-level presidential team ruling Egypt… How can he ask in public
with such clear words and confident voice tone to get rid of the Egyptian
president?… not feeling ashamed or hesitant while the TV interviewer was asking
him one time after another over the same matter for him to reply back every time
confirming that we first have to get rid of the president in order to save the
country, otherwise, nothing will change!!
For a while, I could
not understand what I heard… later, after my astonishment went away, I started
to think… I could understand that the circle is now complete and what we used
to write about and were desperate to explain that it was right –while others
used to accuse us of mixing things in a false way and exaggerating describing
us with the worst characteristics– turned out to be actually right. As we used
to say and write that what is called the enlightened Islamic political current
along with its figures of thinkers, writers, university professors and
ex-judges are an inseparable part of the bunch regarding themselves guardians
judging people’s religion, and that they do not aim at spreading the elite
humanitarian and religious morals, but actually are targeting authority and
ruling power, and that such political current have long deceived people.
However, when they came to power in a way that we now know who did it and how
they did it, everything became clear and they revealed their true face!
Seif Abdel-Fattah
–along with some of his male and female colleagues in the faculty of economy
and political sciences– were always working at establishing and spreading an
idea what later turned out to be a big hoax; this idea says that it is possible
that political Islamization may have a modern enlightened face believing in
citizenship and democracy. That bunch used to include other people that I do
not want to mention some of their names after they hid themselves away from fame
lights that used to surround them in the press, TV, radio, seminars and
conferences. Then, after muslim brotherhood came to power, such enlightened
thought, modernization, citizenship and democracy became worn out slogans that
outdated and were no longer used.
Such thing always reminds
me of that Umayyad Caliph who used to pray day and night and read Quran in Qa’aba
for decades before appointing him a Caliph. However, once he heard that he
became a Caliph, he put the Quran aside and talked to it saying: “Now, I’m done
with you”. The first feast that Caliph had was for dinner and he got it over
the dead bodies of his opponents of his own folks, while some of them were
still moving; not yet dead under the feast’s tables with the food served above!
While I was thinking
after my astonishment went away, I realized, feeling totally certain, that the
fears that long surrounded us and some thought were over, are not over yet.
First of these fears is the armed bloody terrorist conspiracy threatening the
life of the June, 30 revolution’s leader and currently president of the
republic whom I respect and cherish for what he does for the country, despite I
know that there are many faults in the current policy. This conspiracy also
threatens all those regarded as enemies and opponents by muslim brotherhood,
salafists and so-called enlightened Islamic political ideology. As the matter
is not about the president alone, but –following the same logic– has to do with
targeting all those considered –by Seif Abdel-Fattah with what he is supposed
to have of mentality, culture, knowledge and awareness in addition to his
likes– as dangerous persons threatening the muslim brotherhood plans.
As we all know, this
unjust bunch can easily find what supports their corrupt ideology throughout
the historic course of political islamization to give themselves, and those who
believe them reasons justifying killing others. Even if such killing was like
what Mursi once said in a public speech: “What would happen if we sacrificed a
million people for the society to live”!!
We are still facing a
real danger that is not yet over. Actually, it may increase in the coming time
targeting certain circles and figures, as that bunch, in my opinion, bets that
more killing, blood and terrifying people may push many to give up, even if the
price is having the unjust muslim brotherhood authoritarianism back to ruling
power controlling the destiny of our country.
In such context, I do
not believe that people will keep getting deceived in this “Taqiyya”
which the salafists hide themselves, their ideas and actions behind, as I
believe that once they feel there is a glimpse of opportunity that muslim
brotherhood may come back to power after shedding floods of blood, they will
reveal that they support the Islamic rule and nothing else. I am also sure that
they will come up with tens of Fiqhi interpretations providing them with
reasons justifying what they did after muslim brotherhood left power.
That was Seif
Abdel-Fattah who remained in Egypt in his home with his family after June, 30.
I remember that I phoned him once to check on him and had a joke with him saying
that I could hear children crying around him and asked if he could still have
young babies. He answered that they were his grandchildren. Later, he left
Egypt; not jailed or killed. There are also others whom I see on Facebook and
have close strong relation with some. I know that they used not to have any
political interests. Now, one sees them picking a word or action for the
president or any other responsible to make silly jokes thinking themselves
staunch opposition figures. Despite the triviality of what they write and which
reveals their desire to have more “Likes” from some nuts, I think this is the
other side of what Seif Abdel-Fattah said; it is an attempt to assassinate the person
himself and assassinate his character.
May God save Egypt and
protect its institutions and all those who take the responsibility paying
honest and sincere efforts to save our country.
Translated by: Dalia
Elnaggar
This
article was published in Al Ahram newspaper on March, 14, 2019.
To
see the original article, go to:
#Ahmed_Ahmad_elgammal
#Egypt #president #Sisi #character_assassination
