The Logic of the Military Rule in Egypt

Was published in Arabic in December 14, 2015

Translated by Ahmed Fathy

Introduction

1- We have lived in the Mubarak era while we have been opposing the Mubarak military regime and opposing simultaneously the evil Wahabism and all its political overt and covert organizations, like the terrorist MB group members and the terrorist Salafists. Despite the enmity between Mubarak and the terrorist MB group members, both foes used to unite against me, along with our usual enemies of Al-Azhar institution, the Ministry of Religious Endowments (Al-Awqaf), the Mubarak media, and ordinary people of the ignorant masses. All of them used to wage a fierce relentless war with no limits against our person, with the lowest levels of evil baseness and vileness. We used to pay a dear price for any article we wrote that causes them to be extremely worried. For our part, we used to advise ourselves to write in moderate terms using all possible hedges in writing my views. Yet, once we begin writing, we forgets all about fears, and write freely as per my conscience as a Muslim reformer regardless of the dangers of living under the threat of the military regime and the Wahabi terrorists of all types.

2- In Cairo, we used to live in a (low-class) district called Al-Matariya, one of the centers of Wahabism, fanaticism, and extremism in Cairo until the present moment. The building we used to live in has been surrounded by four mosques filled with extremist discourse and extremists among the dangerous Wahabis. The imams of these mosques never ceased to incite the mob against us, accusing us of denying the so-called Sunna and hadiths, and therefore a renegade who rejects Islam (!). We used to live in the first floor, and the balcony overlooked two crossing streets. We used to sit on a sofa overlooking both streets and write while visible to the passers-by. Some extremists used to pass by ourselves in a sort of demonstration or a sit-in to intimidate us. They used to shout at us: "Fear God, O doctor!". In most cases, we have been pursued and watched closely by security forces and policemen so as to be arrested at short notice anytime. Once, we have been visited at home by the Britch TV crew for a televised interview, and my house has been at once filled with security men. The same thing reoccurred when a German newspaper correspondent visited us at home. The Mubarak regime took great care to make us fear incarceration anytime; they managed to make us live in fear. Likewise, the terrorist Wahabis took great care to threaten us by fatwas that urge any delusional youth to kill us to obtain houris in Paradise (!).

 Within such dangers looming around us, we have written this article published in the Cairene newspaper "Al-Ahrar", within a series of articles titled "The Narrator Has Said" on 26-7-1993. This article is titled "The Logic of the Military Rule in Egypt"

Firstly: the entire article:

 (*This story has taken place during the Mameluke Era in Egypt on Wednesday 26^th of Zu-Al-Hijja, 876 A.H. Qaitbay, the Mameluke ruler of Egypt at the time, received news of victory over a European pirate ship. All pirates were killed, save ten captives, and the ship itself was captured. The next day afternoon, the captives reached Cairo along with the governor of the city of Alexandria, named Qigmas, to stand before the sultan. A problem occurred; the residents of Edco city won the victory themselves, but Qigmas ascribed the victory to himself. A delegation from Edco came to explain the reality of the affair. Qigmas had to accuse the Edco delegation of violating his privilege as a governor when they attacked the pirate ship that attacked them before getting his permission; he ought to have led the attack against the pirates himself. Qaitbay was known for his piety and acts of worship like night-long prayers and readings of the Quran. Yet, he forgot all religious mottoes he used and issued a decree that reflected the military nature of his rule; he imprisoned the Edco delegation members with the ten captive pirates in one terrible prison, called Al-Maqsharah. Some of the captives feigned conversion to Islam, and subsequently set free by the sultan. The brave men of Edco defended their city yet remained imprisoned! Their only guilt according to the Mameluke military logic was defending their country themselves instead of the Mamelukes who specialize in arms and fighting.

* The philosophy of the Mameluke military rule dictated that the Mamelukes are the only armed force or power ruling Egypt and had the right to bear arms. Egyptians were forbidden to bear and use arms, even in self-defense! The Mamelukes wanted the Egyptians to remain as cattle or sheep led and controlled by the shepherd: the ruler. Hence, when Edco people defended their city and themselves, the sultan imprisoned them so as to prevent the sheep from turning into wolves that might confiscate the Mamelukes' existence and raison d'être.

* This is the logic of the military political rule everywhere and in every era. It is based on the monopoly of power and authority that turns any country into an internal front and an external front. It turns cities into camps and citizens into employees in a hierarchy based on blind obedience to commands and orders. When political life is based on blind following and execution of orders and declarations of support to rulers, no citizen can produce, and no economy can flourish. The reason: the corrupt hypocrites confiscate everything. Even when reformers express their opinions and offer pieces of advice, no one would listen or heed their words. They get no reward from the military sultan except contempt or being incarcerated, as happened to the brave Edco delegation.

* The Military rule has aborted the parliamentary life in the era of liberal Egypt before 1952. Since that year, Egyptians never witnessed anything except individual tyranny and economical failure or collapse. Economic reform and solutions offered to save the economic status in Egypt assert the return to norms of pre-1952 Egypt. The military rule failed on the financial and economic levels. The military failure and the political failure are linked to the monopoly of authority and power and contempt of citizens of the nation.

* Egypt now faces a veritable danger that threatens its present, future, and its nation; the religious extremism that has turned into bloody terrorism. The civic wing of this terrorist extremism has spawned and spread within the vaults of the ruling power and its institutions. The military wing of Wahabi terrorists grown bigger than ever, increasing its power by the faults and corruption of the ruling power and authority. As usual, the logic of the military rule is based on dealing with the problem of extremism single-handedly, with no success. This has helped in spreading extremism all over Egypt. The reason: the military rule has used its extremist sheikhs to face extremism! How ironic! The military rule of Mubarak knows no bounds in using torture and violence and in allowing ample room for corruption and tyranny. That is why the military rule loses every battle here and there, whereas Wahabi extremists are gaining more ground as a result of the failure of military rule. The result: the possible destruction of Egypt and the annihilation of its citizens. If a theological rule is to come, Egypt will be wiped out of the map of the world.   

* It is rumored that the military rule is happy and satisfied with the veritable danger of extremism; this give it raison d'être to go on, because no voice is allowed to be louder than the sound of the battle, as the military rule motto says. The military rule is bad, but the theological rule is worst. The military rule is the lesser of two evils.)

Lastly:

1- This article has been written 22 year ago. Egypt is under military rule since 1952; i.e., for 63 years. Egypt is atop a volcano crater. A revolt of the hungry might break out to destroy all. This is due to the old military rule which never succeeded in anything except controlling Egyptians. We will never be surprised that when the military rule would perceive the dire economic conditions and a possible upcoming revolt, it will sell Egypt after its possible destruction. Hundreds of military men might immigrate with their wealth stolen from Egypt (billions of US$). These military men know nothing but corruption, tyranny and torture. They might leave Egypt ruined and even empty of its good people who would flee as well. The worst alternative is the Wahabis of two types: the terrorist MB group members and the Salafists who would inherit the ruins of Egypt! Heaven forbid it!

2- We re-publish this article after writing it for the first time 22 years ago. The conditions in Egypt are worse than ever now. Writing is of no use, but we have to go on writing for the faint light of hope. We have to register our stance in a bad era. We have to tell the coming generations about the ones who tell the truth in dire times and eras.

  God says in the Quran: "Most surely We will support Our messengers and those who believe, in this life, and on the Day the witnesses arise. The Day when their excuses will not profit the wrongdoers, and the curse will be upon them, and they will have the Home of Misery" (40:51-52). God says nothing but the Truth.