Will Egypt go jihadist?

A possible emerging formula for the new leadership of Egypt: Mohammed El Barradei, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning facilitator of the Iranian nuclear weapons program, plus the Muslim Brotherhood. And here’s the underlying story: talks between El Barradei and the Brotherhood about forming a national unity government. In case you forgot, the Muslim Brotherhood is the principal source of the revived Sunni jihadism of the 20th and 21st centuries. Its theoretician was Sayyid Qutb (pronounced KUTub), an utterly clear and logical writer who showed that the Koran teaches aggressive jihad until all humanity is brought under the power of Islam and all governments not under the direct power of Allah are eliminated. The Brotherhood’s offshoots include Hamas and Al Qaeda.

Go, Change, Go!

Go, Democracy, Go!

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January 31

Kilroy M. writes:

The quote of Sayyid Qutb in the linked entry is from his perhaps best known work, Milestones (page 64). That book is considered by many today as the “manifesto” of al Qaeda. The edition I am relying on is published by Dar al-Ilm, Damascus, Syria and can be purchased via Amazon. It’s good to know the language and thoughts of the enemy. Readers of VFR should make themselves familiar with such works (the book is only 160 pages long and not a difficult read). Obviously, if the essence of Islam is not compatible with Western notions of pluralism, then pushing democratic reform in those countries is plain insane. The truth of that statement hinges on the definition of the Islamic essence and its relationship with jihadist terrorism. Mr. Auster’s quote from Qutb and Khosrew proves the “Islamofascist” theory is wishful thinking or willful blindness. The more I see what is happening in the Middle East, and for that matter, Africa, the more I am convinced that the only people who are ready for procedural democracy (i.e. who have the maturity and responsibility to live under that system) are of Christian, European heritage. That may sound blunt, but it’s difficult to argue with empirical evidence.

Ron P. writes:

Egypt will eventually devolve into an Islamic state. As we have seen in the U.S., it takes an enormous amount of psychic energy, intellectual power, economic resources and time to maintain a liberal, secular state. Egypt does not have that history, tradition or mindset. There may be a secular transitional period but inevitably Egypt will succomb to Islam.

If there is an analogy to be made (weak but apt), it would be that Mubarak = the Czar, ElBaradei = Kerensky, and the Muslim Botherhood = the Bolsheviks. Secularism creates a void; it takes enormous resources to maintain the form of that void. In the Middle East it is much too easy to fill that void with Islam (whether immediately or like Turkey over time). The Kerensky liberal, democrat can only be a transitional figure to a more hardened, fixed ideology.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 30, 2011 10:24 PM | Send