MB: We Don’t Fight Ideas, We Accept Constructive Criticism

Habib: MB Doesn’t Fight Ideas, Accepts Constructive Criticism
  
 
Some Egyptian media reports have recently spoken about what they called a Muslim Brotherhood leader who has defected and called for establishing an alternative movement in his book recently published under the title “Alternative Movement”.
 
When asked about this issue, Dr. Mohamed Habib, the deputy chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood group, to Ikhwanweb that the moderate group respects others’ views even if they are at odds with group’s views:
 
We, in the Muslim Brotherhood group, have ideological rules and principles and a well-defined method and goals and means which are known to all. Any one approves these rules and this method and wants to join us, we will definitely welcome him. The Muslim Brotherhood extends its hands to every one. But, if a certain person wants to move alone, it is up to him and he can do what he wishes. We don’t force anybody to adopt our method.
 
“We are with people like a fruit tree. They attack us with stones, and we respond with fruits.”. we treat those whose views are at odds with ours in a friendly way,  whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.

Regarding Dr. Ali Abd Al-Hafiz and what an Egyptian newspapers published about him and his issue under the headline (MB dissident leader calls for an alternative movement ), Dr. Habib said” Dr. Ali isn’t a Muslim Brotherhood leader. He was just an ordinary member at the beginning of the group’s hierarchy. He was believing in ideas which are not adopted by the group and he defected from it. He is not a Muslim Brotherhood leader at all. The issue of leaving the group was a personal decision which he has taken with full freedom and he isn’t blamed at all for his freedom of choice”.
 
Asked about his opinion about Dr. Ali’s book, Habib said:”Dr. Ali Abd Al-Hafiz offered us a draft about the content of the book, but unfortunately I didn’t read it in order to discuss it with him. Dr. Ali Abd Al-Hafiz printed it without allowing us enough time to read it”.
 
“There is no comparison between the method and reformist view of a group that has a long history and a presence all over the world like the Muslim Brotherhood group and one single person with another view or a new Islamic approach related to him. We can only review in a constructive manner the two sides in order to know the pros and cons” said Dr Habib, adding that the Muslim Brotherhood can adopt any positive points according to a system of consultation and according to the position of the group as an institution whose decision making isn’t a spur of the moment.
 
Habib confirmed that the Muslim Brotherhood respects others’ views and respects and approves a constructive criticism to correct mistake and develop means.
“It isn’t true that the MB dismisses people with reformist views. The Muslim Brotherhood is a huge pot that can easily contain all reformist views, said Habib.
 
 
Dr. Ali Abdul Hafiz, a professor at the faculty Education Asyut University , who defected from the the Muslim Brotherhood, said that his recently published book “Alternative Movement” includes a new Islamic approach, and a reformist view, which the group rejected.
Abd Al-Hafiz pointed out that this view seeks to change some of the dominating views around the position of Hassan Al Banna’, the group’s founder, and the role of 1952 Revolution.

Other Topics:

A Leading Brotherhood Dissident Calls for ’Alternative Current’, Novel Islamic approach
Almasry AlYoum