FROM MAULANA’S DESK

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has received the Padma Bhushan, the Demiurgus Peace International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognised as one of its most influential Muslims1 . His books have been translated into sixteen languages and are part of university curricula in six countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi.


YOU CANNOT HANG AN IDEOLOGY

ACCORDING to media reports of April 11, 2015, an Egyptian court has confirmed the death sentence on Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohammed Badie and thirteen others for planning attacks against the state. Hundreds of people have been sentenced to death following the removal of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Dispute between the Muslim Brotherhood and the political authorities of Egypt has been going on for almost half a century now. The political leaders of Egypt have been dealing sternly with the Muslim Brotherhood, but have failed to undermine the influence of the Brotherhood in the region.

This dispute between the two began soon after Egypt’s King Farouk was deposed in 1952. Hassan al-Banna (1906-1949), the founder of Muslim Brotherhood was shot dead on a street in Cairo on February 12, 1949. Sayyid Qutb, another leader of Muslim Brotherhood was executed on August 29, 1966. 

Despite this stern action by Egypt’s political rulers, the Muslim Brotherhood has survived. In fact, during the general elections in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood leader, Dr. Mohamed Morsi, received YOU CANNOT HANG AN IDEOLOGY 4 Spirit of Islam Issue 30 June 2015 such support that he became the first President of Egypt. However, after completing one year of his presidential term, a military coup was staged, and Dr. Morsi was deposed and imprisoned. He has also recently been sentenced to death for his previous involvement against the political powers.

Why did the political bosses of Egypt fail to curb the Muslim Brotherhood? The reason is that the Muslim Brotherhood is based on an ideology, and it is not possible to bring an end to the influence of an ideology by force. Even if some leaders are hanged, new leaders will emerge and keep the ideology alive.


 Today, the need of the hour is to de-politicize Islam by presenting
the non-political interpretation of Islam. 


It is a fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is based on a wrong ideology. Its leaders have wrongly interpreted Islam in political terms. They believe that without establishing Islamic rule in Egypt they would not find entry into Paradise.

Those Arabs who want to curb the Muslim Brotherhood must evolve a counter ideology. The Muslim Brotherhood is based on the political interpretation of Islam. Today, the need of the hour is to present the non-political interpretation of Islam. Only this kind of interpretation would change the minds of people. Without changing the political mind it is not possible to curb the Muslim Brotherhood at all.

The Muslim Brotherhood is the phenomenon of an ideology—the politicized version of Islam. Politics has to be eradicated from Islam. Without a counter ideology, the political bosses of Egypt will never be able to cope with the problem presented by the Muslim Brotherhood. 

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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Obey Conscience

It is the conscience which makes man feel repentant soon
after he makes a mistake. Man should admit his mistakes
instantly so that his conscience stays alive. Otherwise,
his sense of repentance would gradually begin
to diminish until it fades away.