Voting Success Has Egypt’s Islamists, Like It or Not, Debating Rule by Religion

[MH1]

Source: New York Times

CAIRO — To Sheik Abdel Moneim el-Shahat, the Muslim Brotherhood’s call to apply only the broad principles of Islamic law allows too much freedom.
Related

Sheik Shahat is a leader of the ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis, whose coalition of parties is running second behind the Brotherhood party in the early returns of Egypt’s parliamentary elections. He and his allies are demanding strict prohibitions against interest-bearing loans, alcohol and “fornication,” with traditional Islamic corporal punishment like stoning for adultery.

“I want to say: citizenship restricted by Islamic Shariah, freedom restricted by Islamic Shariah, equality restricted by Islamic Shariah,” he said in a public debate. “Shariah is obligatory, not just the principles — freedom and justice and all that.”

The unexpected electoral success of the Salafis — reported to have won about 25 percent of the votes in the first round of the elections, second only to the roughly 40 percent for the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party — is terrifying Egyptian liberals and troubling the West. But their new clout is also presenting a challenge to the Muslim Brotherhood, in part by plunging it into a polarizing Islamist-against-Islamist debate over the application of Islamic law in Egypt’s promised democracy, a debate the Brotherhood had worked hard to avoid.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/world/middleeast/egypts-vote-propels-islamic-law-into-spotlight.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

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Stoning for adultery? Way to go. Backwards, that is. Looks like Egypt's moderate faction will have their hands full with their own 'tea party' nut jobs. :(

[dipsydoodle]

1. They 'll negotiate

For example : The Bro want to greatly expand the tourist industry but the Salafis may want that to be alcohol free. Like I said - they'll negotiate.

[MH1]

2. I guess they'll be 'negotiating' women's rights, too. nt

[McCamy Taylor]

12. Naw. Women will be sacrificed by the moderates so they can get concessions to make more $$$.

That is how it always is.

[DeSwiss]

14. Negotiate?

- What?, only back to the 12th century or 13th?

[demosincebirth]

3. Well, back to the 9th centrury for Egypt. Have a nice trip.

[pam4water]

4. :( 65% to the two Religious parties. That is one hell of a majority.

[lunatica]

5. I hope they meet very stiff resistance

By the young people of Egypt. To have deposed Mubarak just to be enslaved by Extremist Muslims isn't any kind of win.

I predict this isn't over. First of all they need to have the backing of the military just to enforce their power.

[dipsydoodle]

7. From who

Those who democratically voted them into power?

[libinnyandia]

6. If Bachmann or Santorum were to win they would probably try it

here, though probably not as extreme.

[russspeakeasy]

8. Ruling by religion...coming to a state near you.

as soon as the tea party can reorganize.

[Bosonic]

9. 40% Good cop 25% Bad cop

35% ???

[UnrepentantLiberal]

13. 65% bad cop.

The Muslim Brotherhood will appear "moderate" until the elections are over. They will then show their true colors.

[sulphurdunn]

10. If the Old Testament

is any guide, stoning for adultery means stoning women for adultery.

[MH1]

11. Yep. That's what I take it to mean. And 'adultery' includes being raped.

[pasto76]

15. Careful for what you wish. "Democracy" means people choose

and looks like the people of egypt might also choose hardliners. So be it.

[JI7]

16. what matters is having real democracy where they can vote someone else

in power next time .

[rollin74]

17. very disturbing

:-(

Egypt is going to be far worse off

[UnrepentantLiberal]

18. Interesting read on this subject.

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/03/novelist_dentist_and_defender_of_democracy/singleton/?mobile.html