In 1989 the officially banned but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood group decided to establish a political party. Since then, the group’s consultative Shoura Council, have faced many political obstacles to declaring themselves, but with their strong belief in the importance of establishing a free political party with no government interference, the group still waits for a suitable time to announce their party.
First deputy to the Muslim Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Dr. Mohamed Habib recently spoke to Daily News Egypt about their political program and the possibility of setting up the party.
DNE: Why has the Muslim Brotherhood revived talk of setting up a political party and pumped creating a program at this time?
Dr. Mohamed Habib: We always direct our efforts according to political, social and economic changes. The idea of setting up our own party began in 1989. The Guidance Bureau has been trying to figure out the best time to declare the party and has also debated whether the party would be a melting pot incorporating all the activities and actions of the group or it would just be a separate branch .we believe that the best thing to do before the announcement is to evaluate the current political arena to see if it allows for such a party. We have always pressured the government for more political freedom, which includes the freedom to establish political parties. A political party should reflect public will. This requires canceling the law that supervises political rights as well as the Shoura Council committee that screens political parties .we will not apply to this committee and we will not announce a one-sided party. We prefer to wait until the political atmosphere is suitable.
How different is the party program from the fundamental Islamic ideology of your group?
There are a few differences between the party program and the ideology of the group. But Islam is a religion that must be taken as a whole, it can never be branched or divided into separate parts. It includes politics, economics, culture, society and morals. It includes everything.we can’t take any part out of it. Therefore there is a clear link between the political and the religious. It the political aspects are separated from morals and faith, they would be nothing but Machiavellian theories.
The program, however, differs from the ideology in the tools and methods being used. Our program is based on the Islamic premise that work is a form of worship. The ideology of the group is concerned with moral, ethical and religious aspects. The political aspects must enhance the effectiveness of our ideological goals. The Muslim Brotherhood MPs apply this, for example by generating opportunities to implement ideological goals. They supervise legislation . the ideological and the political aspects of the group are but two complementary parts, but each must have its own institutions, members, tools and methods. There are borders between religion and politics in some issues, but there are clear links in others.
Your goals for general reform highlight individual reform as the first tool for change. But how does the Muslim Brotherhood plan to implement this “individual reform program?
The individual is the key to general reform, progress and development. The more we care for this individual and provide him/her with better educational, cultural, economic, political and social services, the more he/she will play an effective and efficient role in his society. I think the main reason for our terrible economic situation now is corruption that results from social hypocrisy and the fact that individuals are not religiously and ethically aware of this corruption. But when you raise the individuals on correct religious foundations, this will contribute to a more progressive society.
But how can the Brotherhood achieve individual reform in a society where people can barely earn a living?
It is true that this is a challenge. The problem is that the current situation is terrible and painful, but we are not responsible for these terrible facts. The present situation is nothing more than an accumulation of corruption in almost all fields. Corruption in Egypt has reached economic, political and cultural fields. The country is floating on a lake of corruption. But the a thousand mile journey starts with one step. General reform is necessary, but first we must tackle the main reason for corruption, that is politics.
I believe that political reform will trigger all other kinds of reforms. This will never be achieved unless we cancel the emergency law which leads to this insecure atmosphere and illogical exceptional cases. We must also annul all exceptional courts that give our country a bad name, and have real and transparent elections. Most importantly we must have a completely independent judiciary. People must feel safe in their own country without any political threat. There must be more freedom of expression, press freedom, freedom to establish political parties and the freedom to congregate. I think our society suffers from insecurity. But if each individual is free to express his ideas the whole society will be enlightened.
Your program includes ideas about reclaiming the desert, which some political pundits see as an imitation of the ruling National Democratic Party’s agenda. Please comment.
If they don’t implement what they say, then their words are useless. The National Democratic Party has always talked about the importance of fighting corruption every where and about implementing development projects, but nothing is actually being done. The last constitutional amendments simply strengthen the ties between businessmen and government officials and totally ignored other social strata. The point is not to make empty promises, but to embark on a serious implementation of these promises.
