By Heba Fahmy
CAIRO: After an eight-year ban, televangelist Amr Khaled will return to preaching in Egypt in an event tied to a parliamentary National Democratic Party candidate, sparking accusations that the party is exploiting Khaled prior to the elections.
Khaled will give a talk in Alexandria under the auspices of the Alexandria Association for Development, which is headed by Mohamed Abdel-Salam Mahgoub, Minister of Local Development, former Alexandria Governor and current NDP candidate.
An online campaign is accusing Mahgoub of exploiting Khaled and called on the latter to cancel the event.
The group which was created on Facebook under the title, “We are against exploiting Amr Khaled in NDP campaigns,” accused the NDP of only allowing Khaled back into the public arena to use him in campaigning for the upcoming general elections on Nov. 28 against the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).
The group also pleads with Khaled to turn down the invitation.
“Please refuse to attend this seminar or postpone it, otherwise you will lose a lot of your young fans, not to mention your credibility that we’ve grown accustomed to,” a statement on the group’s page read.
Khaled announced in a video message on Monday from Mecca that he was excited about meeting his supporters and giving his first public sermon in Egypt after years of being banned by authorities.
“I’m very happy that I’ll get to meet you all face to face for the first time in years instead of having to reach you only through TV programs,” Khaled said.
“God willing, this will be the beginning of many meetings to come,” he added.
The video, which was published on Khaled’s website, was not well received.
“You’re not the kind of guy who would campaign for the NDP,” one of the website’s visitors commented.
“Security forces want to use you against the [Muslim] Brotherhood in Al-Raml district [in Alexandria],” another visitor commented. “After they take what they want from you, they will repeat what they did to you [eight years ago].”
Over 23,000 people viewed Khaled’s announcement on his website and on YouTube.
Mahgoub is running against independent MB-affiliated candidate Sobhi Saleh for Al-Raml district in Alexandria.
“Amr Khaled will be used like any banner supporting NDP candidate Mahgoub against the Brotherhood,” Saleh told Daily News Egypt.
“Khaled has gotten himself into a big dilemma,” he added.
Mahgoub denied the accusations, saying that he refuses to combine religion and politics, according to state-run Al-Ahram newspaper.
Mahgoub added that his association’s only objective was to serve the people of Al-Raml district.
In 2007, Khaled ranked 13 on the list of the World’s Most Influential People by Time Magazine and sixth on the list of the Most Influential Intellectual in the World by Prospect magazine in 2008.
Khaled is known for his moderate views and his appeal to younger audiences, by encouraging them to improve their lives and communities through Islam.
In 2002, Khaled was banned from preaching in Egypt, but his popularity continued to grow through TV programs broadcast on satellite channels including Saudi-owned Iqraa.
