The Brotherhood’s Respond to Gamal Mubark’s Statements

The Muslim Brotherhood responded to the news releases of Gamal Mubark, the Secretary General of the Politics Committee of the ruling National Democratic Party. In his statement to Rose el-Yusseif, Mubark called on halting the Muslim Brotherhood’s engagement in the political domain. He proclaimed that the group’s participation in polls and its evasion on its official ban will have negative effects on the political action. According to him, the Brotherhood is outlawed; therefore, it should be treated within this outlook. Mubark, in addition, vigorously criticized the group’s use of religious mottos to achieve political gains, promising to consider this matter seriously in the near future.
 
Commenting on these remarks, the Muslim Brotherhood said the group does not gain its validity from the regime or from the illegal Parties’ Committee but from the nation, the inherent party to elect its ruler and representatives. The Muslim Brotherhood’s popular legitimacy was explicitly illustrated during the outgoing preliminary polls, in which the group took 88 seats.
 
The deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Muhammad Habeeb, asserted that the group’s owns historical, social, and political legality; a fact can be definitely seen in the public support for the group during 2000 and 2005 polls. He added that the group does not care about the license, given by the Parties Committee that is legally called into question. Therefore, the group, in participation with other powers, seeks to abolish the committee, which restricts the partisan activities resulting in the backsliding of the Egyptian political arena.      
 
In his replay on Mubark’s saying that the Muslim Brotherhood’s elusion on its ban will harmfully affect the political action, Habeeb said these remarks are untrue. On the contrary, any attempts to exclude or marginalize the group will have an adverse impact on the political sphere since the group has penetratingly expanded presence and activity.         
 
Habeeb clarified that Mubark’s implication of the group’s exploitation of religion to attain its ends reflects his incomprehension that Islam is a comprehensive system, citing the group’s founder, Hassen el-Banah, saying  ’If Islam does not compass political, economical, social, and cultural realms then what does Islam mean?’        
 
Habeeb reconfirmed the group will not seek a license to its party from the Parties’ Committee. In stead, the Brotherhood will only notify the competent authorities but works under the patronage of the popular legitimacy.   
 
On his part, Abu el-Ala Mady, the deputy of the founders of al-Wasat Party, said Mubark’s statements do not hint to his party because it is not a religious party. He added that the party severally reiterated its rejection for religious parties in terms of being basically religious while ideologically theocratic.