A Turning Point in Egypt?

It may be happening quicker than anyone thought. The conventional wisdom dictated that the Muslim Brotherhood would sit back and await their opportunity to seize power in Egypt - something that many of us see as inevitable.

This may be happening much sooner than anticipated:

Egypt Gets Its Khomeini

Friday, February 18 may be a turning point in Egyptian history. On that day Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the best-known Muslim Brotherhood cleric in the world and one of the most famous Islamist thinkers, will address a mass rally in Cairo.

Up until now, the Egyptian revolution generally, and the Brotherhood in particular, has lacked a charismatic thinker, someone who could really mobilize the masses. Qaradawi is that man. Long resident in the Gulf, he is returning to his homeland in triumph.

Through internet, radio, his 100 books, and his weekly satellite television program, Qaradawi has been an articulate voice for revolutionary Islamism. He is literally a living legend.

Under the old regime, Qaradawi was banned from the country. He is now 84 years old -- two years older than the fallen President Husni Mubarak--but he is tremendously energetic and clear-minded.

It was Qaradawi who, in critiquing Usama bin Ladin and al-Qaida, argued that Islamists should always participate in elections because they would, he claims, invariably win them. Hamas and Hezb'allah have shown that he was right on that point.

Qaradawi, though some in the West view him as a moderate, supports the straight Islamist line: anti-American, anti-Western, wipe Israel off the map, foment Jihad, stone homosexuals, in short the works.

Have no doubt. It is Qaradawi, not bin Ladin, who is the most dangerous revolutionary Islamist in the world, and he is about to unleash the full force of his power and persuasion on Egypt.

This is an interesting development. The Muslim Brotherhood may be making their move towards generating more and more popular support as the elections loom in the future. It is difficult to know whether anything else can be accomplished in the interim (will elections actually occur, or will a "takeover" ensue before elections can occur?

There are more questions than answers at this point, but things are moving very fast right now and the various twists and turns are hard to predict.

Also see:

The Muslim Brotherhood's Political Pilgrims