President Sisi, Egypt’s latest but most brutal tyrant to date is on a crusade to rid Egypt of any dissent that is not officially sanctioned by his government. Unrepentant about his anti-democratic credentials, Sisi justifies both the coup against Mursi and his draconian policies aimed at cleansing Egypt of Islamists, as essential measures to bring “democracy” back to Egypt.
Sisi is not alone on Egypt’s path to the restoration of tyranny. US Secretary of State, John Kerry on a recent visit to Cairo offered renewed support for the measures initiated by Sisi. Kerry said, “The road map is being carried out to the best of our perception. I think it’s important for all of us, until proven otherwise, to accept that this is the track Egypt is on and to work to help it to be able to achieve that.” Kerry also bolstered Egypt’s capacity to commit terror by saying that US had recently released $575 million in assistance for Egypt’s military and that he was confident 10 Apache helicopters would be delivered to Egypt soon. With Sisi rapidly patching up relations with neighbouring countries, one can only assume that the new military hardware will be used to shore up the border with the Jewish State and commit acts violence on the domestic front.
Yet it was only three years ago that America supported the efforts of the Egyptian people to oust Mubarak from power. Speaking in February 2011, President Obama told the Egyptian people: “The Egyptian people have made it clear that there is no going back to the way things were: Egypt has changed, and its future is in the hands of the people … They have made it clear that Egypt must reflect their hopes, fulfil their highest aspirations, and tap their boundless potential.”
America’s abrupt U-turn against the desire of Egyptians to free themselves from the rule of tyranny and her penchant for embracing dictators is not surprising. America is more interested in safeguarding first and foremost her national interest. If this means that America has to re-embrace dictatorship at the expense of democracy then so be it. Summing up the Obama administration’s attitude towards the Arab revolutions, Kiron Skinner, director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Centre for International Relations and Politics said, “We have seen dictators fall and seen new forms of authoritarian rule. The whole arc of the Middle East is not becoming the democratic experiment the Obama administration had been trying to foster during the Arab Spring.”
There are three valuable lessons to learn from this whole episode:
1. The mere desire to emancipate Egypt from tyranny and establish Islam is not enough for the revolution to succeed. This was wickedly exposed in the early days of the revolution, as Nasserites— the custodians of the regime— stepped in to remove Mubarak by making sure the regime remained intact. It was only later, during the ominous rule of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) that some Egyptians realised the full extent of the control exerted by the Nasserites, but most Egyptians remained oblivious to this or chose to ignore it.
What Egyptians require is a clear understanding about what they want their revolution to deliver i.e. to rule by Islam under the shade of the Khilafah state or to live in a pseudo democratic state where a small courtier of people close to the West make laws for the rest to live by. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم in Mecca had a crystal clear understanding that they wanted to live by Islam. This not only became the sole purpose of their existence, but was the main driving force by which they were able to liberate the whole of Arabia from the rule of tyranny and Jahiliyah.
2. Egyptians during their revolution relied on leaders that were part and parcel of the current political landscape. They were bereft of a clear vision, unable to articulate coherent policies and most of all their thinking was imprisoned by the status quo. This included both secularist and Islamists. Hence, it did not come as a surprise to see Mursi fumble and the people live in misery. The same fate awaits Sisi, his government and Egyptians living under his rule. This is because both Mursi and Sisi chose to rule by other than Islam.
What Egyptians require is a leadership that understands Islam deeply, can clearly articulate the end goal i.e. the re-establishment of Khilafah and has carefully thought about how to rule and what to implement when taking power.
3. It also became abundantly clear that Islam cannot be delivered via the ballot box. The only practical way to bring about comprehensive change in Egypt where Islamic Shariah is supreme is to have the army support the transformation of the Egyptian society. Today, the army stands against the people of Egypt opposing their every move to implement Islam.
For Islam to be implemented the material power i.e. the army must be in the hands of the Muslims not the West. Before the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم established the first Islamic state in Madina he sought material support from Al Aws and Al Khazraj, and once he صلى الله عليه وسلم had received and secured the authority only then did he صلى الله عليه وسلم implement Islam.
It is hoped that Egyptians will deeply ponder on these points, so that they become accustomed to what Islam demands in both of a vision for the Islamic Khilafah and its method of implementation. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Quran:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّـهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّـهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
“Oh you who have Iman! Answer (the call of) Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.”
(Al-Anfal: 24)
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abu Hashim