Mahdi Akef, the Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, gave a statement to Ikhwan Online, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Arabic Website regarding the Muslim Brotherhood’s Political Platform and the banning of Christians and Women from running for President.
This issue of banning Christians and Women has sparked a lot of debate and needs a full review, but that is not my interest in this article.
What interests me however is the justification that Mahdi Akef gave for this decision. In an attempt to justify this decision, Mahdi Akef used the US as an example. He said that, and I quote, America itself refuses that its Presidency is taken by a Protestant or a Catholic. As John Kennedy, who was a Catholic was killed and he was the only non Evangelical President of the US.
Yes ladies and gentleman, No Protestant President!!!
The Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood does not know what Protestant is or obviously Evangelical.
This is no surprise from Mahdi Akef. The guy is obviously old and we can not expect from him to know such basic information. What is surprising however is that this statement was given on the 6th of November, 9 days ago and during those 9 days members of the Muslim Brotherhood Political Bureau, Guidance Council and many Muslim Brotherhood members have read this statement and no one noticed the obvious ignorance.
If Mahdi Akef does not know what Protestant is, doesn’t anyone in the Muslim Brotherhood know?
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2 comments:
I have to agree that Akef's statements are sometimes, well, let say I disagree with most of what he says in interviews.
But you should recognize, and Im sure you do, that this is not the only opnion within the Brotherhood. You are aware of course that this position has sparked a lot of internal debate, and I have personally written 2 articles commenting on that, and both were published on IkhwanOnline
Dear Ibrahim,
First of all welcome to my blog.
Of course I know that Akef's statements are not the only opinion in the brotherhood. I read your articles and others written by other young Muslim Brotherhood members and also by Abdel Monem Aboul Fetouh and Gamal Heshmat.
I understand this ongoing internal debate, but that was not I was commenting on.
My comments are about this lack of knowledge and lack of followup.
Mahdi Akef might not know what a Protestant is, but surly someone in the Brotherhood should know.
Political leaders sometimes make stupid mistakes or comments, but they are usualy followed by a clarification or an apology. This is why I waited for 9 days before I wrote this. I was awaiting a clarification.
Whether the Brotherhood agrees to allow Christians and Women to run is not my point here. My point is the need for Political leaders to make sure of what they are saying before they speak. This is the case in the 3 articles about Farid Ismail, Essam El Erian and Mahdi Akef.
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