‘Moderate and Fair’: Muslim Brotherhood Claims it Won’t Force Islamic Values on Egypt After Big Election Win
- Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:49am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Election officials count ballots during the first round of Egypt's parliamentary elections. The Islamic fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party won nearly one-third of the vote, closely followed by the hardline Nour Party, which won nearly a quarter. (AP Photo)
CAIRO (The Blaze/AP) — Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, emerging as the biggest winner in the first round of parliamentary elections, sought Saturday to reassure Egyptians that it would not sacrifice personal freedoms in promoting Islamic law.
The deputy head of the fundamentalist Brotherhood’s new political party, Essam el-Erian, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the group is not interested in imposing Islamic values on Egypt, home to a sizable Christian minority and others who object to being subject to strict Islamic codes.
“We represent a moderate and fair party,” el-Erian said of his Freedom and Justice Party. “We want to apply the basics of Shariah law in a fair way that respects human rights and personal rights,” he said, referring to Islamic law.
In the latest round of election results released Sunday, the Muslim Brotherhood captured 36.6 percent of the 9.7 million valid ballots cast for party lists. The ultraconservative Islamist Nour Party received 24.4 percent.
El-Erian’s comments were the clearest indication that the Brotherhood was distancing itself from the more hardline Nour Party, which espouses a strict interpretation of Islam similar to that of Saudi Arabia, where the sexes are segregated and women must be veiled and are barred from driving.
The Brotherhood recently denied in a statement that it seeks to form an alliance with the Nour Party in parliament, calling it “premature and mere media speculation.”
On Saturday, el-Erian made it clear that the Brotherhood does not share Nour’s more hard-line aspirations to strictly enforce Islamic codes in Egyptians’ daily lives.
“We respect all people in their choice of religion and life,” he said.
Still, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated election results “very, very disturbing” and said he hopes the new parliament will respect international treaties, including its 1979 peace treaty with Israel.
Another major check on such an agenda is the council of generals who have run the country since President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in February. The military council, accused by Egypt’s protest movement of stalling a transition to civilian and democratic rule, is seeking to limit the powers of the next parliament and maintain close oversight over the drafting of a new constitution.
Egypt already uses Shariah law as the basis for legislation, however Egyptian laws remain largely secular as Shariah does not cover all aspects of modern life.
On its English-language Twitter account, the Brotherhood said that its priorities were to fix Egypt’s economy and improve the lives of ordinary Egyptians, “not to change [the] face of Egypt into [an] Islamic state.”
El-Erian urged the Brotherhood’s political rivals to accept the election results.
“We all believe that our success as Egyptians toward democracy is a real success and we want everyone to accept this democratic system. This is the guarantee for stability,” he said.
For decades, Mubarak’s regime suppressed the Brotherhood, which was politically banned but managed to establish a vast network of activists and charities offering free food and medical services throughout the country’s impoverished neighborhoods and villages.
It is the best organized of Egypt’s post-Mubarak political forces.
The vote for parliament’s lower house is taking place over three stages, with 18 provinces in Egypt yet to vote.
Meanwhile, the swearing-in of a new temporary Cabinet was delayed on Saturday due to disagreements over key posts, including over who will lead the ministry in charge of internal security.
An official in the Interior Ministry said several high-ranking security officials have been named as possible replacements but that some have turned down the offer.
Protesters have also strongly objected to the nominations put forward by newly appointed Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri, who served in the same position under ousted President Hosni Mubarak from 1996 to 1999.
The country’s ruling military general, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, appointed el-Ganzouri as a new interim prime minister last month after the previous premier’s government resigned in the wake of a police crackdown on protesters that killed over 40 people.
The interim Cabinet will serve until after the parliamentary elections finish in March. A new government is to be formed after the legislature is seated.
Activist Hussein Hammouda, a retired police brigadier, is among those opposed to the names being considered for the Interior Minister post and says someone from outside the police force should be chosen instead.
Protesters in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of Egypt’s protests, released a statement saying they would continue their sit-in while allowing traffic to resume normally in the area.
There were tens of thousands of protesters in the square in the days leading up to the elections, but numbers have dwindled to several hundred since then. Protesters demanding el-Ganzouri be replaced as prime minister said they will keep up another sit-in outside the Cabinet headquarters.
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Comments (194)
barber2
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:42pmApparently there is an even stricter ultraconservative branch of Egyptian Islam, the Salafis, which will become part of a coalition government ! Ha, folks. The SALAFIS are the ones who will be in charge of forcing Sharia / strict Islamic codes ! Ah, the old Muslim Brotherhood just playing the old Deception Card . Just like they did to fool the West when they revolted for “democracy.” The Deception Card is part of their heritage. They share that with our Lefties and the current Occupier of the White House…
Report Post »chazman
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:01pm… Yeah? Carve that little promise in stone you pack of muslim morons!!
DEATH TO ISLAM!!
Report Post »shift
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:40pmIn what fantasy world hass sharia law or a mooslim government wereever been fair to other religious groups or faiths, answer me that mooslim brothers and maybe I will believe you.
Report Post »VoteBushIn12
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:53pm@Shift
Every country that has a National Religion is biased against other religions, it has nothing to do with Islam. Or do you not remember why the Pilgrims came to America in the first place?
How soon they forget
Report Post »shift
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 2:10pm@VoteBushIn12 – Trying to make the claim that the pilgrims were anything close to the current mooslim movement is completely ridiculous and without any historical evidence. Nice try though.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 2:12pm“We want to apply the basics of Shariah law in a fair way that respects human rights and personal rights,”
Seriously? Only the common sense challenged (many Americans) and politicians who want to turn a blind eye buy into this rhetoric. Shariah is shariah, and there are no “exceptions”. Obama ushered this in.
Report Post »Barry Da Fraud
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 3:04pmTotalitarianism is and always will be the agenda of the governments of Islam. The rabid narcissisism, caused by the centuries of inbreeding, will always have all muslims to blindly follow them.
Report Post »db321
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 8:18pmUnbelievable, these guys say one thing and they do another right under your nose – kinda like Obama does. I guess if the media reports it as fair and honest – we should believe it – oh lord, I thing I’m turning into one of the useful idiots. Does this mean I now have to get my news from Chris Mathews.
Here is my statement and you can bank on it – if sharia law comes to America – I will protect my family with every ounce of breath in my body.
Report Post »waggie
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 9:40pmOh yes they will force Islamist law (Shariah) on EVERYONE. Don‘t believe them if they say they won’t. That’s what they do. And if you oppose them, you don’t live very long!
Report Post »VoteBushIn12
Posted on December 6, 2011 at 6:28pm@shift
Actually I was equating the Religiously Oppressive English state (the one that forced the Pilgrims to move because they didn’t gel with their ideal form of Christianity) to what we consider a modern Islamic nation. If Christians are willing to do that to their own kind imagine what they would have done to Jews or Muslims living in the area… oh wait, I don’t need to imagine. It’s called History and I can read about it.
I am simply showing that Religious oppression is not a “Muslim” thing, it is a RELIGIOUS thing. All Religions are guilty of it.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:41pmThat top photo sums up what will happen. The Army keeping a eye on the ballots. Unless the Egyptian Army turns into the revolutionary guard they will not let Egypt be any more hard line sharia, which it already is highly Islamic that most don’t already know and has been for a very long time. The army could over turn whatever this election and parliament does and do not care if they have to kill hundreds to do that. They could even void the whole election because the MB try to take control of them and attack Israel with said army. The Army made Mubarak go and it was not the people in the street who think it was them. It was a militarily coup and will be again if the people elect the people the army does not approve of and will take power from the army.
Report Post »jokar
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:39pmMaybe they can start by defending the Christian citizens who are getting their churches burned down and their families murdered
Report Post »MisterB
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 8:26pmNo, some humans have more right to human rights than other, lesser, humans do…
I think we can safely assume the Christians (and any other non-orthodox Muslims) will assume the role of the lesser humans in this new Egypt. History repeats itself.
Report Post »Ralphbp
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:39pmModerate and fair? Sure…. I have some really prime swamp land to sell you as well. Any wonder where the President got his ideas of moderate and fair?
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 4:53pmThe 3 biggest lies : 1.I’ll still respect you in the morning; 2.I‘m from the government and I’m here to help; 3. The check is in the mail – now add: 4. We respect all people for their choice of religion and life.
If you believe any of these I have some prime CA real estate for you it even has a fanciful name, The Choclate Mts.
OMG
Report Post »garyM
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:33pmHis faith in executive orders, his faith in short circuiting the constitution and the people’s will. Faith he can fundamentally change America by importing muslims in American and denying we are a Christian nation! Biggest bunch of BS I’ve head since what he said in the last campaign!
Report Post »momrules
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 5:00pmThese are the three members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama administration.
1.Rashad Hassan……The American Ambassador to the 52 nation Organization of Islamic Countries
2. Dalia Mogahed…….Obama speech writer and Obama appointee on Muslim Affairs
3.Azizah al-Hibire……Obama appointee to the United States Commission on International Religeous Freedom
Obama is a Muslim and he is helping Islam with the Muslim Brotherhood to take over not only the Middle East but America as well.
Why won’t America wake up?
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 8:10am“Why won’t America wake up?”
America has been deceived into thinking that God and Baal (aka Allah) are the same. It paralyzes the body and short circuits the brain of the Christian West. Once they realize they have invited an interloper and a false prophet into their house, they will reject all that Islam, Mohammed, and Baal (aka Allah) have to offer.
The Church of Baal (aka Allah) and its harbinger of suffering, Mohammed, have spread across the planet using the cloak of Christianity to conceal its evil.
I am afraid the “anti-Christ” trod the planet 1,400 years ago and his Church has spread ever since. Time to stop Baal and his followers.
Report Post »Secessionista
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:29pmI don’t care what the egyptians do. Nor the iranians. We have bigger problems here at home to worry about. We have a traitor in the whitehouse.
Report Post »bhohater
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 4:18pmVery true SECESSIONISTA. Screw Egypt and all the rest of the middle east. Let them kill each other. All we have to worry about is them getting ICBM’s that will reach America. If they do it’s no big deal, we have the capability of taking them out before they can launch.
Report Post »Politijack
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:27pmNow to just have all the Christians and secular muslims wear these armbands they made for them,that way we can insure they get the “Moderate and Fair” Treatment they deserve…
Report Post »OverFiend
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:26pmWho said the muslim brotherhood did’nt have a scenes of humor?
Report Post »wtfhappend
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:23pmYeah right these muslims will do as they please and say what they think you want to hear, prime example look at out white house.
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:22pmWe come in peace..! Works every time.
Report Post »Ron Staiger
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:21pmTunisia, Morroco, Egypt, Libya all falling in line to a new caliphate precisely as Glenn Beck warned while his liberal detractors have been giddy in their praise of the so-called “arab spring”. I know that you marxist-pundits would love to see riots in the streets here in the US and that is why you froth at the mouth every time a another city has a couple of hundred “occupy” morons defecating in the streets like their arab brothers. How quaint! What’s next- parading rape victims around in donkey carts on their way to their stoning? Or how about public hangings for ALL gays?
Report Post »Well, let me advise those of you who consider yourselves anarchists, marxists, islama-facists, progressive-revolutionaries and union thugs of one very important fact: while you have been attempting to control our guns, we have been collecting them- lots of them! See you in the streets, MORONS!
MY WASR10 SAYS IM FREE
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:50pmAmen. I saw something like this coming back in late 2006 when it became apparent that Democrats would eventually sweep all 3 branches of gov’t along with the accelerating retirement of baby boomers and the coming collapse of social security. The only thing that hasn’t happened yet to my suprise is the AWB and the closing of the GSLH. I figure it’s just around the corner if Sotero wins in 2012(and he probably will).
Lock and load.
Report Post »Buttercup
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:14pmI’ll believe the headline when I actually see it come about. Hopefully, it won’t be, “Oh, by the way, we lied to get elected.”
Report Post »LeeroyJenkins
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:13pmTime to strike up the hail to Obama song. The stage is set for a US invasion of Egypt just before the election. WOW, who would have thought Obama would try to start another war to get re-elected…Not me that is for sure….
Ron Paul 2012 anyone changing their mind yet? Intervention is the reason we are hated. Intervention is the reason we spend 1 trillion a year on military not counting wars. If we continue down this road we are going to be slaves. Sure maybe not most of the Glenn Beck crowd but the 30 somethings and younger. No one out there is considering our slavery just their own. Obama care will have death panels for the seniors now, we will not even make it to where we are considered seniors. Stop voting for yourselves and vote for the people who are ALREADY INHERITING YOUR GREEDY VOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!RON PAUL!
Report Post »wtfhappend
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:24pmYou think obama will fight against his own faith, really.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:02pmNo. But if he is our nominee, I will vote for him. Can YOU RP”ers say the same thing??
Report Post »bhohater
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 6:06pmI‘m not saying he wouldn’t be better than Obummer, but If you believe for a minute that Ron Paul has a chance you are whistling Dixie. Republicans should follow Bill Buckley’s advice and support the most conservative candidate that has the best chance of winning.
Report Post »Rightallalong
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 7:48pmBHO Hater, I agree, however which one is conservative, Romney (I was for Obamacare before I was against it), NEWT (I support Nancy P and the Global Warming Scam, as well as Freddie Mac’s raping of the tax payers and endless wars) and Cain (we don’t need to Audit the Fed Reserve, just call them and ask them where all the trillions went – oops I guess his wife shoudl have asked him where all the thousands went – he would have been just as honest as Fed Reserve) …
Only one man has been consistent and is not paid off by special interest … you may not like him but if you really believce in liberty there is not much choice…
Report Post »Moozmom
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:12pmWell, pardon me; I didn’t think Sharia law was a law in which governing officials could “choose” what part of the law they would apply. Careful, you naive Egyptians; this is a trick of evil governments (let’s just nudge them with this law and then when they are use to that law, we will begin enforcing another sharia law). Egypt signed its own death warrant when it voted in Muslim Brotherhood; don’t they know that WWIII is just around the corner and Egypt will be nuked off the face of the earth because of their leaders? It is all biblical and is fascinating to witness.
Report Post »semihardrock
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:12pmAS LONG as you are not a WOMAN. This is AWESOME, and wonder when the Homosexual and Transgender marriages will be taking place in the Mosques? GREAT NEWS!
Report Post »martelthehammer
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:07pmOh yea, I bet this is going to happen. This is all part of the new Islamic caliphate.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:20pmWhat he meant to say was, “They won’t enforce Islamic values IMMEDIATELY”…you know, just a “slow and steady” onslaught! LIARS! This is great…NOW maybe those who have infiltrated every branch of America’s government, judiciary and social landscape CAN NOW GO LIVE IN DUMB **** EGYPT! BYE BYE and don’t let the door hit you in the butt on your way out!
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:44pm@martelthehammer
Report Post »Where’s your sickle ..?
momrules
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 5:15pmCharles Martel or Charles the Hammer……….Frankish leader who defeated the Muslim invaders at the Battle of Tours in 721 a.d.
Report Post »PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:05pm“We respect all people in their choice of religion and life,” he said. Moderate form of Sharia , means that they will not kill the Copts in the day light but at night . Liars
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:03pmthe people voted fair and square, respect the democratic process even if you don’t like the results of a free elction
Report Post »MY WASR10 SAYS IM FREE
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:56pmDemocracy is nothing more than two wolves and a lamb voting on what’s for dinner.
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 2:15pmI wonder if the next election will be free and fair? Or will there be a next election?
Report Post »shift
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 2:17pmThere is nothing fair about any election in a mooslim country. You can be assured that the ones controlling the ballot boxes are the ones controlling the election results. Look at Iran’s last election, overwhelmingly against their current president and when the results came out there were riots and then the crackdowns the hangings the police brutality against anyone that opposed.
Report Post »gb123
Posted on December 6, 2011 at 3:04amHitler came to power in a “free and fair election” with around 32% of the vote.
Report Post »tmplarnite
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:01pmYeah…Right!
Report Post »GREENDOG
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:09pmGosh they are good guys and just want peace! See how barry has changed the world.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:59am“Moderate” and “Fair” are words not found in their language, except for when telling lies to infidels.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:59amyeah, Right.
Like Crapper said , the Muselim Bros are a secular .org, until you have a different view, .Then they cut your head off.
Report Post »Nobar
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:59amLIES! That’s a lie straight from hell. Don’t believe it for one second.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:59amThe Muslim Brotherhood being moderate and fair? hahahaha that’s rich.The MB will show the people how to run a theocracy like they have in Iran.Heads are gonna role,have fun kids.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:58ammuslim brootherhod liars liars liars……………………..
Report Post »Laus Deo
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:58amThree cheers for islamic-nazism!
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