Misunderstood: Mohammed Morsi, President of Egypt

This is a guest post from my sister about the new Egyptian President Morsi. Amanda is studying international relations, global justice, and religion at Central Michigan University, which has led to a number of classes on Islam.  She plans to eventually earn her PhD in religion to teach at the university level..   If you have questions, please leave a comment and she'll get back to you!  Without further ado, her take on Egyptian democracy.

I've been hearing a lot about the new President of Egypt, Dr. Mohammed Morsi, from friends and family.  Some are asking my opinion, some are misinformed, and some aren't even willing to listen to what I have to say.  I decided to put together this note (it's a little lengthy), feel free to share it if you wish.

First off, I want to say congratulations to Egypt for their first elected president. The road has been bumpy, but God-willing it will continue to become smoother.

About sixteen (16) months ago, Hosni Mubarak was ousted from his position of power over Egypt.  Since then, a new government has been struggling to bud.  The election of a new president is an incredible feat, especially a member of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).  During Mubarak's regime, the Muslim Brotherhood was highly discrimanted against.  It faced decades of government crackdowns, arrests, and alienation.

If you don't know a lot about MB, or see them as a violent group, I would suggest reading up on the full, and especially the recent, history of the MB.  I'll address a little bit further on, but I can't even begin to relate the history of this group.

On to President (Dr.) Mohammed Morsi.  I send out my greatest congratulations and well wishes to this man. He has a humongous task ahead of him, and the path will not be easy.  Many of the fears I've been approached with have to do with President Morsi's affiliation with the MB and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP). As I previously said, read!

President Morsi has promised to protect all citizens whether they voted for him or not.  He said, “No rights will be taken from anyone who says no to me.”  To back up these claims, he has met with many Christian leaders in order to try and build bridges over the rifts that have developed over generations.  One of the men, Bishop John Kolta, Deputy Patriarch of Catholic Copts, has issued statements attesting to the fact that the MB does not use or promote violence.  Bishop Kolta said,

“President Mohamed Morsi said it is a priority for him to protect the Copts and forestall strife between Copts and Muslims, and to restore security to the homeland; which were messages of reassurance for Copts. They made us happy for the future of Egypt.”

The Freedom and Justice Party, the political party that consists primarily of MB members and the party in which Dr.. Morsi ran under, states on their website:

“We also stress the need that the Egyptian people should be the ones who draft the Egyptian Constitution, in a way that reflects the identity and will of the nation, so as to provide - through this Constitution - freedom and dignity for the nation, affirming the sovereignty of the people and national unity. “

The MB and FJP, including Dr. Morsi, seem to have tolerance in mind.  This would be prompted by the intent to implement Sharia.  This brings up a whole other issue – Most people are misinformed on what Sharia is and actually intends.  The most common fear I have been approached with was provoked by the MB's Credo:

“God is our objective; the Quran is our law, the Prophet is our leader; Jihad is our way; and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations.”

Honestly, if you change the title of the book and one title, the statement becomes what nearly every Christian (that I know) wants for their life.

“God is our objective, the Bible is our law, Jesus is our leader, Jihad is our way, and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations.”

Oh, I left that scary word in there: Jihad.

Jihad is a word that appears 41 times in the Qur'an.  Jihad is a religious duty of all Muslims.  But what does Jihad actually mean?

To struggle. Jihad literally means, “struggle” or “strive”.  Not holy war, it's not a secret code word for “kill the infidels”. Jihad represents a duty towards God, a commitment to hard work, working towards a noble cause, and doing one's best to implement the principles of religion.

Muslim scholar Mahmoud Ayoub states that "The goal of true jihad is to attain a harmony between islam (submission), iman (faith), and ihsan (righteous living)."

So all that the credo is saying is: All should be done in order to give glory to God, that Sharia (outlined in the Qur'an) should be followed, and all members are encouraged to strive to become the best person that they can be.

Oops, there's another scary word: Sharia.

This is again, totally misunderstood! Yes, there are some laws and punishments within Sharia that sound barbaric and archaic. Think about it through... have you read the Bible? 

In 1 Corinthians 11:6, a woman must cover her hair or represent her shame by shaving it off.

Matthew 5:30 “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

Deuteronomy 22:20-22  But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel.  Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.  If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

These seem pretty harsh, don't they?  Relax. 

Sharia also incorporates tolerance and equality for non-Muslims. It encompasses all parts of life.  It recognizes freedom of belief, freedom of worship and the right of non-Muslims in referring to their own religion in their private affairs. Sharia equalizes all people in terms of rights and duties.

Human Rights are an incredible part of Sharia, as the human being is considered the most dignified creature on earth. The Qur'an states that Allah Almighty has created all that is in the heavens and earth to serve the well-being of the human beings. And thus, the most important of all human rights is the right to life, the right to human dignity and the public freedoms for all.

In all honesty, the thing you need to be worried about in Egypt right now is SCAF.

SCAF is the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, or the military that has a stranglehold on all political processes in Egypt.  SCAF was considered heroic about sixteen (16) months ago when it successfully  ousted Hosni Mubarak. The transition occurred quickly, to where SCAF is now feared and hated. Just before the recent presidential election, SCAF ruled to dissolve the popularly elected Parliament.

This  military council also passed a decree allowing military police and intelligence to arrest and detain civilians.  SCAF is what currently holds the real power in Egypt. They've maintained power since they forced Mubarak from office 16 months ago.  They've taken control over legislature, drafting the new institution, and have removed certain powers that should have been held by President Morsi. 

What exactly is so scary about that? These men are the same men who were hand-picked by Hosni Mubarak. Thus, we are not surprised to learn the SCAF gave itself the role of legislator, the right to arrest civilians, control over drafting a new constitution, and stripped the next president of significant power.

On a closing note, President Morsi has fulfilled his campaign promise and resigned from both the Muslim Brotherhood and the political Freedom and Justice Party.  While his beliefs will probably still align significantly with the MB and FJP, President Morsi will have no lasting affiliation with either group.