Egypt’s Elections: The Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood

From… 18:30…To… 20:00

From… 15:30…To…17:00

The session has just started. Please feel free to join us with your questions.

Yours,

Votes were “bought.” People in poor areas were given money to vote for NDP candidates. Moreover, violence was used against the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) observers who were present in the polling stations. They were detained, together with voters.

During the second and third rounds, polling stations in MB strongholds were closed, which enabled the NDP to fake results. Also, judges were attacked. Thugs were used to terrify the voters. Besides, state security forces terrified the voters.

The results were faked; in various districts, including mine, the results declared were different from the real results.

Congratulations for the recent MB breakthrough in the elections.

However considering Mubarak will still hold the 2/3 majority in the parliament to pass or block any law, will MB be able to achieve any significant change in the politics of the country ?

I am afraid you won’t really be able to affect Mubarak’s handling of the affairs and people might get disappointed in the future.

Thanks. Maa salama

Also, they will participate in introducing laws that benefit the whole society and that will help in the process of reform.

The Muslim Brotherhood are honest guards that protect the values and beliefs of the society.

Through their role in parliament they will set an example for others. They will set and example for protecting the collective interest and solving society’s problems.

It’s important to note that the speaker of parliament praised the performance of the 17 MB members. And we will do our best to maintain the same level of performance.

In your point of view, why do Muslim women hesitate to contest elections, particularly in the Middle East?

Also, participating in politics is a difficult task, and it has many consequences. It requires certain qualifications and it is very time consuming.

There are also cultural traditions that prevent women from participating in the political arena .

Can you give us the Web site of the Muslim Brotherhood so that we can join your organization?

The official English Web site for the Muslim Brotherhood is ikhwanweb.com

The Muslim Brotherhood is not a club. It represents a way of thinking, moderate Muslims all over the world, who endorse Islam in a moderate way, can share with the Muslim Brotherhood their way of thinking. Whoever works to serve Islam and its mission can consider him/herself a Muslim Brotherhood member.

In the Netherlands, you may try to find Muslim Brotherhood members through whom you can know more about the Muslim Brotherhood.

What do you hope to see from the results of the elections?

The field that needs reforms the most is the field of civil and political rights. People need freedom of speech, freedom of forming political parties, etc.

Also all people should be equal in rights and duties, and they should not be prevented from speaking their minds. We want to remove all the biases that result in inequality.

There is discrimination against the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamists in general; they are prevented from expressing themselves, and they are deprived of their civil and political rights.

There is a great need for achieving equality. The constitution should be applied because the will of the people is the real source of sovereignty.

The laws that limit people’s freedom should be eliminated.

Freedom is the key to reform in society.

I understand that, according to the Egyptian constitution, the president has the authority to dismiss the parliament, so even after all this effort has been exerted, don’t you think that it is kind of wasting time to put all these efforts in something, given that it can all simply go in vain?

We do our part—and the result is in the hands of Allah. This is a sort of Jihad and we should not submit to the status quo; rather, we should do our best to change it through peaceful means.

May Allah bless your efforts and give you the strength to serve Him.

What programs has the Muslim Brotherhood offered sisters in Egypt and what lessons do you think Muslims in America can take in order to empower our Muslim sisters here?

Also, our programs aim to solve all kinds of societal problems through training gifted women who can play that role.

Islam as a unique faith has given all members of its strata a unique role to play so as to contribute to societal development. So please, what is the permissibility of a women to seek for a political office?

And this can be considered part of their role in ordering the good, which is the duty of every Muslim.

Editor’s note:

The following related fatwa is published on IslamOnline.net’s Ask the Scholar section:

Women Holding Public Positions

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544064

For further details, please refer to the Ask the Scholar section on IslamOnline.net: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1118742803355&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/Page/FatwaCounselE

My question is about women candidacy in presidential election—whether women have right to be head of the state.

Second, don’t you feel that women in Islam are less empowered economically and socially, which causes a lot of misery to them. What is solution to make Muslim women defiant and empowered?

Also, Islamic values should be purified. It is important also to teach one’s children to respect women and their rights. The Prophet, peace be upon him, set the best example for treating women. The status of women in Islam is known for everybody.

The problem has to do with men’s mentality, not with Islam.

Editor’s note:

Regarding the first part of your question, please refer to the Ask and Scholar section:

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1118742803355&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/Page/FatwaCounselE

You may also read the following fatwa:

Can a Woman Be a Nation’s Leader?

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503548828&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE

What happend in 2000 in Alexandira with the MB candidate, Jihan el-Halafawy, was a harsh experience that chase many women away from participating in the political process.

If the political environment is favorable, the MB will be able to introduce more women candidates.