Responding to Comments about the Previous Article:
On our Political Writing about the Planet of the Muhammadans
Published in June 20, 2020
Translated by: Ahmed Fathy
Introduction:
Our previous political article, found in English on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=20647), have drawn some comments which require us to respond to them within an article about our methodology of reformist political writing about the planet of the Muhammadans.
Firstly: about our methodology of reformist political writing:
1- Washington has its most important centers of research and political centers (some of them are NGOs and some are run by the State); previously, we worked in some of such centers and attended many conferences as we delivered many speeches and provided many comments within such conferences/seminars. Yet, at one point in time, we decided never to attend such conferences and seminars any more unless we would be invited as a primary speaker. We realized that our field of specialization (the Quran and Arab history) exposes the shallowness and triviality of Americans who specialize in 'Islam' and the Middle East. They make lots of money by delivering useless papers and speeches in many conferences; they have no original views; they see our person as a veritable threat as we refute their erroneous views and this might stop their getting money by attending such conferences and forums.
2- Months after the 2011 revolt in Egypt which resulted in the ouster of Mubarak, the interest in the terrorist Wahabi MB organization increased feverishly in Washington; many of the so-called specialists attended many forums/conferences (as they seek money) held by such centers about the Middle-East and the MB; we were invited many times to attend such forums/conferences but we never did. Yet, at one point in time, we decided to attend one conference held by a center to discuss an MB political party which emerged in Egypt and headed by the MB member Mr. Abou Al-Ela Mady (whom we used to meet in Ibn Khaldoun Center conferences we held in Cairo, Egypt, in the 1990s). the reason we decided to attend this conferences is that we felt that he Americans know little about the terrorist MB organization and how dangerous it is. At first, we heard some Americans who delivered their speeches and the other American attendees looked at them with deep admiration! We were infuriated by their praising the members of the terrorist MB organization for no reason. We asked permission to deliver a comment; we asked the organizers of this conference about the reason they invited our person to attend it! They looked at one another with puzzled looks; we told them angrily that they knew our name and our field of specialization and we are supposed to warn them against the MB organization and its new party led by Mr. Mady; no one is willing to listen to our person; we told them we never intended to be a mere hearer of nonsense here; we told them literally (You are playing in my backyard!). We left the conference hall in fury. A diplomat from the Singaporean embassy in the USA caught up with our person; he and we talked for more than an hour; we responded to all his questions and he listened attentively. Later on, we received an invitation from the Congress to attend a congressional hearing about the MB in Egypt and in the USA. We delivered a speech based on our experience and methodology as a historian and a Quranist thinker. We emphasized the difference between Islam and the Wahabi religion of the MB and we talked about the religious and political roots of the MB and the relations of its members with Saudi Arabia; we talked about the existence of the MB inside Egypt and the USA and how dangerous such existence is and how the MB must be faced.
3- The superficiality of the USA and the West in general about their talking about the so-called 'Islamism' or 'political Islam' manifests itself by the wrong assumption that all political/religious movement within the societies of Arabs/Muhammadans pertain to Islam. It is wrong to analyze the so-called 'political Islam' using the methodology of political sociology which fits only the secular West societies which freed itself from theocracy and dominance of clergymen typical of the Middle-Ages. The secular West has severed all relations with the past; in contrast, the Muhammadans/Arabs have not done that; hence, it is illogical to employ the methodology of political sociology within researches about political life in the planet of the Muhammadans; the so-called 'Islamists' have nothing to do with Islam; it is a grave sin to mix religion with politics and to misuse the name of Islam as a banner to deceive the masses to reach power; the Americans in 2011 and beyond did not understand the religious and historical roots of the MB and other movements and organizations which have nothing to do whatsoever with Islam.
4- Sadly, the same fatal mistake is committed by our friend and companion in the struggle for human rights and a better Egypt, the Egyptian-American political sociologist Dr. Saad-Eddine Ibrahim. Of course, he is influenced by the West vision and methodology of researching the so-called 'Islamist' movements and he spent much time researching them in his Cairo-based Ibn Khaldoun Center; one of his wrong views is deeming the imam Mohamed Abdou (1849 – 1905) as the 'legitimate' father of the so-called 'Islamist' movements. Another wrong view of Dr. Ibrahim is his never seeing any difference between the so-called 'Islamist' movements (or the so-called political Islam) which raise the same mottoes/banners and seek power in Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, North Africa, and the Middle-East. Another wrong view of his is that the terrorist MB members might accommodate democracy and introduce it if they would reach power in Egypt and elsewhere someday!
5- We and Dr. Ibrahim disputed a lot about this topic; this is what we have said at the time.
5/1: The writings of the reformist thinker imam Mohamed Abdou indicate clearly that he sought religious reform and he was against Wahabism and its groups and political movements (this means had he lived longer, he would have opposed the MB for sure). His writings indicate clearly his supporting democracy and civil society. One of his Egyptian disciples (Ali Abdel-Razik) followed his footsteps and wrote and published in 1925 his seminal book titled (Islam and Principles of Rule) to refute the so-called caliphate and that the desired best rule should be secular; he wished to prevent others from misusing the name of Islam in any political struggle.
5/2: In order to understand the political and religious movements of the Muhammadans, their historical and religious (i.e., Wahabi/Sunnite, Shiite, and Sufi) roots must be studied. For instance, Shiite roots show that Sunnites are deemed the number-one enemies of all Shiites. Wahabi roots make Sunnite Wahabi groups (like the terrorist MB and Salafists) commit bloodshed against all non-Wahabis. Political movements based on Sufism are nearer to democracy, peace, and diversity/plurality as we see in Indonesia and Eastern Asia. Hence, the MB organization cannot introduce or accommodate democracy and religious freedom which are 'foreign' notions to them as they are against their devilish Wahabism.
5/3: To embrace the MB members invited in the conferences of Ibn Khaldoun Center in Cairo, we demanded from them to provide frank views/stances regarding women's rights, rights of non-Muslim minorities, religious freedom, the so-called death penalty for apostasy, and if women and Copts in Egypt would be allowed to rule as presidents...etc. The MB members always dodged our questions or offered vague, ambivalent answers!
6- Briefly, we assert the following points.
6/1: Our methodology within our political writings about the planet of the Muhammadans is based on highlighting the historical and religious roots; the Muhammadans are not secular like the nations of the West; they are still regurgitating the past (struggles in Arabia after the death of Muhammad, the Shiite-Sunnite struggle, theocracy/caliphate/tyranny,...etc.). Hence, the past still reigns supreme in all of today's Arab conflicts and struggles in, for instance, the Levant and Iraq, and the only change is in names of leaders and in the weapons employed within such conflicts.
6/2: For instance, one cannot understand the policies of Hafez Al-Assad and his son Bashar Al-Assad without understanding the roots of the Alawites/Shiites of Syria and how such a religious minority suffered from persecution inflicted on them by Sunnites for centuries. One cannot understand the terrorist Hamas organization in the Gaza Strip without understanding the roots of the Wahabi movements (especially the MB) and how Wahabism emerged inside Arabia based on the Hanbali authors of the Middle-Ages Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Hanbal. One cannot understand Shiite/Druze movements in Lebanon and Palestine unless by returning to historical roots of such communities. One cannot understand the Shiite-Sunnite conflict in Iraq unless through studying the centuries-old struggle between both religions in the Umayyad and Abbasid eras...etc. Likewise, one cannot understand today's Iranian policies of its Shiite theocratic rulers unless through studying their roots within the history of the Shiite Safavid dynasty.
Secondly: about our reformist political writings:
1- We never publish in our Quranism website political writings in order to draw nearer to the big criminals (i.e., rulers) inside the USA, the West in general, or the planet of the Muhammadans. Our sole objective is to raise the religious and political awareness of the Muhammadans; this is because democratic transition requires raising awareness of human rights. Our writings stand against the centuries-old Arab culture based on political and religious traditions inherited from the forefathers; it is a corrupt culture maintained and propagated by enthroned tyrants who do their best to channel the fury of their nations (i.e., the weak, innocent ones on earth) towards the West, the USA, and Israel, instead of channeling this fury in the right path towards the enthroned tyrants themselves. See our three articles in English found on the following links for more details about this topic: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=16733 + http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=16741 + http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=16748).
2- Sometimes, the weak, innocent ones on earth – with whom we side with all our heart – are infuriated by our political articles which drive them to attack our person and repeat accusations and slanders propagated against us by enthroned tyrants in the Arab world. Sometimes, some of our dear Quranists blame the West, Israel, and the USA all the time and do not blame the enthroned tyrants of the Arab world who are the bases of the backwardness and obscurantism of the Muhammadans. Yet, we pardon in advance those who implicitly or explicitly attack and insult our person, and we excuse them since they fear being oppressed or persecuted by the enthroned tyrants in their respective countries.
Thirdly: quoting and responding to comments on our previous article:
1- The comment by Mr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Moqaddem: (...I would like to draw the attention of Dr. Mansour to an important point: Why would he waste his time writing about politics and political figures? Such leaders and presidents are of no importance at all to Quranists; I do believe Dr. Mansour should dedicate his time entirely to useful, priceless Quranist writings which ponder the Quranic text and dig up treasures of the Holy Quran which is the Bounty of the Lord God that should be proclaimed while devoting one's lifetime to this mission: "But proclaim the Bounty of your Lord. " (93:11)...). Our reply: Our reformist intellectual endeavors includes pondering the Quran, researching history and religious traditions of the Muhammadans, and raising political awareness. This is because there is no getting out of the dark tunnel inside which the Muhammadans live except through democracy; our mission is to raise their awareness regarding the democratic culture.
2- The comment by Mr. Mustafa Al-Ghifary: (...May the Lord God bless you, Dr. Mansour; your brief, to-the-point article here makes one never want to read any useless lengthy political commentaries and analyses which fill hundreds of pages. Each of the three pharaohs you have written about deserves the fate you predict for him; the Lord God will help their respective nations to survive in a better future; your sharp points of view stem from the fact that you are a gifted historian and an excellent and unique coraniste thinker and writer; the Lord God will punish and disgrace tyrants in this world and in the next one as well; this is part of the Lord God's Divine Law in the Holy Quran...).
3- The comment by Mr. Abdul-Majeed Al-Marsaly: (...I love this logical analysis regarding the three pharaohs who never have any renaissance projects for their respective countries; they are used by regional and international powers and once they are no longer needed, they are rejected and their fate is sealed: they are either get ousted or assassinated. Sadly, all enthroned tyrants of the Arab world make use of the passivity of the Arab nations; all the time, these nations wait patiently so that their rulers would pave the way for justice, democracy, freedom, and equality...).
4- The comment by Mr. Abdullah Amin: (...I'm afraid that Bashar Al-Assad put himself and his Shiite faction and all ethnicities and religious groups in Syria within a very critical situation with only two options to choose from: either to go on with his war against a Sunnite Wahabi majority inside Syria or to submit to the demands of secular Syrians and the West by introducing democratic transition; the American Act will make Al-Assad meet his end very soon; he may get assassinated. Of course, we fear that democratic transition will end the Shiite faction of Al-Assad who might be fought against by the majority of Sunnites as an act of revenge; this means that Syrian Christians are also in grave danger. Sadly, the culture of democracy is nonexistent in Syria and the Arab world in general; most Sunnites in Syria are Wahabis and they hate democracy while using it as an empty slogan to reach power (i.e., like the terrorist Wahabi MB organization in Egypt in 2012 – 2013 during the rule of the MB president M. Morsi). This scenario which occurred in Egypt in 2012 – 2013 might occur in Syria if Sunnite Wahabis would reach power there and topple Al-Assad and massacre his Shiite Alawite faction. Al-Assad followed the steps of his cruel father by oppressing any opposition figures especially after the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. Al-Assad indeed allowed terrorists to infiltrate into Syria to 'justify' his oppression and tyranny against a majority of Sunnites and to never give the chance to the USA to invade Syria. The Syrian plight is getting worse with the passage of time; may the Lord God protect peaceful, innocent Syrians within all factions and groups from being massacred. The Arab countries should draw a lesson from the Syrian plight by readily introducing the culture of democracy and peaceful coexistence. Yet, would enthroned tyrants in the Arab world allow this while bearing the future and the interests of their respective nations in mind?! We do not think so. Enthroned Arab tyrants think about nothing but their benefit and interests and that of their family members...).
5- We thank all of these gentlemen for their comments, and we assert the following. A reformist thinker is like a medical doctor since both are specialists in dealing with sickness/ailments. When we taught as an assistant professor in Al-Azhar University, we used to say we specialize in ailments and bad things and how to deal with them. Yet, when any initiative of reform has been introduced by any tyrants, we encourage them in our articles; this occurred previously regarding the late Saudi king Abdulla in the first year of his reign, the Saudi crown-prince M. Ibn Salman, and even Al-Sisi. Later on, we are disappointed with them and criticize them and attack their crimes as enthroned tyrants. For instance, we refer readers to our book, in English, about M. Ibn Salman, found on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=111). In the Arab world until now, peaceful political reform will easily succeed when it is introduced by rulers willingly (i.e., as per their own political will). Hence, in our previous political writings, we assert many times that tyrants may enter into the hall of honor and fame in history only if they would introduce legislative reform to emphasize free speech, freedom of thought and creativity, and religious freedom; this should be accompanied by releasing from prisons all political prisoners and those people imprisoned for having expressed different political and religious views. The intellectual debate following this legislative reform will never negatively harm any enthroned tyrants; rather, it will pave the way for democratic transition which will bear fruit decades after the death of enthroned tyrants and their progeny. Hence, we hope that by introducing such a legislative reform resulting in asserting basic freedoms, massacres and wars (whose most victims are among the weak ones on earth) would be prevented/stopped.
Lastly:
There are also repeated questions from our fellow Quranists regarding our political writings. Chief among them is as follows: (...Why is not the Quranism website dedicated entirely to the Quranist writings? Why do we find this insistence on writing political articles? Dr. Mansour thus conjures up more enemies to himself since his foes typically accuse him of siding all the time with the USA and Israel; this accusation certainly repels many ordinary people from following Quranism as the Only true Islam...). Our response to this question comes in the following points.
1- Our Quranism website is dedicated to both religious and political reform; of course, all our dear Quranists share their adherence to the monotheism of (There is no God but Allah) and to the Holy Quran as the Only Discourse in Islam; there is no room for differences here among true Quranists; the Word of Allah (i.e., the Quran) is the Absolute Truth; the existence of Allah as the One and Only Lord God is an Absolute Truth. There is no grey areas here; one is either a Quranist or a non-Quranist; it is an (either...or...) stance; one is either a monotheist or a polytheist without in-between position.
1/1: All Quranists share their adherence to the monotheism of (There is no God but Allah) and to the Holy Quran as the Only Discourse in Islam. The Lord God says the following in the Holy Quran: "Such is God, your Lord - the True. What is there, beyond the Truth, except falsehood?..." (10:32); "That is because God is the Truth, and what they worship besides Him is falsehood..." (31:30); "Have they not observed the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all the things that God created, and that their time may have drawn near? Which discourse, besides this, will they believe in?" (7:185); "In what discourse, beyond this, will they believe?" (77:50); "These are God’s Verses which We read to you in Truth. In which discourse, after God and His Verses, will they believe?" (45:6).
1/2: It is OK that Quranists should have different political views regarding any topic; there is no problem at all in holding different opinions within politics because political visions or points of view are always situated in grey areas within relative truths (i.e., there is nothing absolutely right or absolutely wrong in politics).
2- Many anonymous people send our person hate mail and level accusations against our person via their email messages; such email messages prove our good stance and never harm us at all; they prove that our foes cannot refute our views; instead of trying to refute our views, they insult and accuse our person. The accusations they level against us are silly, illogical, and repeated. Chief among them is accusing us of being the 'paid agent' of the USA with the mission to destroy Egypt and Islam! This is a laughter-inducing accusation; we defend Islam and Muhammad and also Egypt; we are not an agent or spy (paid or not) working for the USA; we are an American citizen who swore to be loyal to our homeland: the USA. This loyalty to our new homeland requires us to attack and criticize the American policies and Donald Trump as often as we like while we feel secure thanks to free speech cherished in the West. A new, laughter-inducing accusation which we read via an email message sent to us because of our previous political article is being (a thief who sells, buys, and rents tens of apartments inside the USA!). This never happened; we are financially too poor and physically too weak to work as a realtor. Anyway, we pardon in advance those who insult and verbally abuse our person and level groundless accusations against our person; we never seek to please any people; we only seek to gratify our Lord God and we seek no reward from any mortals; our reward which we expect is from the Lord God Who will admit our person into Paradise within His mercy.
3- We are siding all the time with the weak, innocent ones on earth and we are standing against all of the big criminals in all eras and regions. The weak Arabs inside Israel have better life conditions when compared to Arabs in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Iraq, Saudi Arabia...etc. and also when compared to Egyptians in Egypt. In fact, the big criminals (i.e., rulers) of Egypt and Arab countries of the Muhammadans are worse than leaders of Israel and of the West countries. Arabs who live inside the West countries have better life conditions than their counterparts in their original Arab homelands.
4- The big criminals (i.e., rulers) struggle for owning more stretches of land and owning/controlling those who live in such stretches of land or the weak, innocent people. Eventually, the big criminals die after a short, fleeting duration of life on earth; they are buried and turn into dust inside the earth/land they sought to confiscate to themselves. Such struggle continues among all generations of the big criminals in all eras until the advent of the Hour of destruction of the universe when the Lord God will inherit the earth and everything in it. Since the duration of one's life on earth is temporary and short, sensible human beings should seek to live while enjoying their dignity, freedom, and human rights; if they have a measure of human rights under Israeli rule, it is better than experiencing humiliation, oppression, and torture imposed by the enthroned tyrants of the Middle-East. For more details about this point of view of ours, see our book, in English, titled "Our Journey to Israel and Palestine" found on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=126).
5- This is the conclusion we have reached in our old age within our experience.