ABC Australia Interview with Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwanul Muslimin)'s senior.

p/s: antum boleh memahami manhaj Ikhwan dengan membaca interview ini.

Video of the interview: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2011/s3135834.htm

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: We've now entered the 17th day of protests in Egypt and
as the turmoil continues there are concerns both in Egypt and abroad about the
agenda of the country's biggest opposition party, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Our guest tonight is a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood who's still in
close contact with the leadership in Egypt. Dr Kamal el-Helbawy joined me
earlier from our studio in London.

Dr El-Helbawy, thank you for joining us.

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD: It's a pleasure. It's a pleasure.

TONY JONES: Do you see the Iranian Revolution in any way as a model for what
could happen in Egypt?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: No, there is a big difference between the revolution in Egypt
and the revolution in Iran. Some of the differences can be summarised in the
following points. The revolution in Iran was led by the mullahs, the scholars,
but the revolution in Egypt is led by the people from different sectors of life.

So, there is no way to say that it will go according to the model of the
revolution in Iran. In Egypt we have different religions. We have Muslims, we
have Christians, we have others as well and who have different political
orientations. We have leftists, we have (inaudible), we have liberals, we have
seculars and we have Islamists, and this makes a big difference that the future
administration in Egypt should take in consideration, the multi-party system and
all related matters related to political reform mainly in Egypt.

So in some ways it is different from the Islamic revolution. But this does not
mean that the Islamic revolution in Iran did not have impact, although it was
very slow, on other areas in the region.

TONY JONES: Well, that's certainly the case and you mentioned the range of
parties there and your own party, the Muslim Brotherhood, is considered to be an
Islamist party.

And I'm just wondering how much power could they conceivably get if Egypt had
free and fair elections? Could you end up as the ruling party, the governing
party?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: It may happen if the people select a majority of the
Parliament from Islamists, but I cannot assure you at present the Muslim
Brotherhood popularity can reach 35, 39, up to 40 per cent if there is none
rigged and there is free election in Egypt.

And in any case, the Muslim Brotherhood leadership and spokesman announced it
many, many times, as it is in our teachings that we teach to our junior
generations, that we are not after power, but we are after a society that is
built on, and a political system built on democratic values, freedom and equal
social justice, equal opportunities and the dignity of human rights and the
respect of human rights.

If these are available by anyone, we will accept him as our administration and
the president and the government. So this will be the best government. We are
not concentrating on ourselves to come to power, but on the reform in the
society.

TONY JONES: In the past, the Muslim Brotherhood has demonstrated under the
slogan "Islam is the answer". We haven't seen those kind of banners in this
popular uprising in Tahrir Square.

Does that mean you've rejected that idea, or does it mean you're simply keeping
quiet about it until you get rid of Mubarak?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: No, no. You have in Australia different political parties and
each one of them has its own agenda, private agenda. If you are doing only your
agenda and the people accept it, that is something, but if you find that the
whole population of the Australia are going out demonstrating against Mubarak,
so the priority is not for the private agenda, the priority is for the agenda
proposed and the amendments needed and required by the revolutions.

Not - it is not the right time or the place for the private agenda. Neither
Islamist, nor the leftist.

TONY JONES: But can I interrupt you for a moment, because it may not be the
right time now, and that could be the point of my question.

Is it still the primary aim of the Islamic Brotherhood to create an Islamic
state in Egypt based on Sharia law?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: They will promote that aim and objective, but if the people
agree for it, there is no enforcement. If the people like it to be ruled by
Islam, why not? This is not our immediate aim at present, but we will not
forsake that aim and we will work for it in future peacefully, not through
enforcement.

TONY JONES: If it is a long-term aim, if it came to pass if the Muslim
Brotherhood became the governing party in Egypt, what would change in Egypt?

For example, would the Muslim Brotherhood, would a government dominated by the
Muslim Brotherhood tear up the peace treaty with Israel?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: No, no. There will be many changes, but not to that effect of
- we are taught, since our youth and young days, early days to respect all the
covenants and respect all the treaties, including the peace process, but we
would like to confirm that any treaty should be built on justice, not injustice.

We will fight injustice and try to reform injustices. But we respect all
treaties. But the change that will happen in Egypt should be very clear from
now, because the Muslim Brotherhood concentrate on building and the preparation
of human resources more than anything else. We build the human being that should
behave nicely in the society, that should behave peacefully, that should love
the good for society and for others, that should respect other people. This is
written in our literature in every library and every...

TONY JONES: OK.

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: ...bookshop in Egypt and in the world now.

TONY JONES: OK. Let me ask you this, because this is a fundamental question as
well: would the Muslim Brotherhood, if prominent or dominant in government,
maintain a close relationship with the United States?

For example, would you continue to accept $1.3 billion a year in military aid
from the United States, should the United States want to keep giving you that
aid?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: I do believe that the Muslim Brotherhood will build very good
relationship in the international sphere with every nation, including the United
States. But this relation should be built on mutual respect and dignity. They
cannot be built on hegemony, and if the American state, American would like to
help in the development of Egypt and the promotion of Egypt, we will not be
ungrateful and we will accept that and build our relation.

But if the Americans were giving this money for Mubarak and others who are
corrupt and who are - who have been stealing the resources and the aid coming
from America and the other areas, then this will be another choice of the
Americans. But in our long term, we should not depend on aids coming from
outside or abroad or international. We have to benefit from our resources,
agricultural, cultural, commercial, industrial as well.

TONY JONES: OK. We're nearly out of time and I've got to ask you just one last
question. You said that if the Muslim Brotherhood gained power it would seek to
institute Sharia law with popular support.

How quickly could that possibly happen? And just give me one major change you
would see in Egypt if Sharia law were introduced by your government?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: I would like to say that we are not enforcing Sharia law, but
I said if the majority in the Parliament would like to see Islamists in power
and agree on Islamic law and Sharia, the Muslim Brotherhood will be happy to
implement that without any negative impact or effect on non-Muslims.

For example, if an Australian who is not a Muslim is in Egypt in Cairo and would
like to drink wine, he should find his wine, but the Muslims should not be in
that direction. It should be because Islam does not want Muslim to drink wine,
for example, or commit adultery. You can't give a licence for a Muslim to build
a house for adultery or for prostitution. So this will change. In this area, it
will change.

TONY JONES: A quick question: you mentioned adultery, and of course the
punishment under Sharia law for adultery is stoning to death. Could you imagine
that happening in Egypt?

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: Not always this is the case, but for example if you have - if
you are going in the street and there is a red light, you can't go ahead, you
will make disasters. So this is a red light that should not be trespassed and it
is not necessarily to capital punishment.

But the ruler has its power to make it less punishment according the seriousness
of the crime committed. And, by the way, adultery - in the Ten Commandments,
adultery is also prohibited.

TONY JONES: Dr El-Helbawy, we'll have to leave you there. We've got much more to
talk about. Perhaps we'll come back and do this again at some time as it gets
closer to a change of regime in Egypt.

We thank you very much for joining us.

KAMAL EL-HELBAWY: Thank you very much. Thank you very, very much.

Resolusi Konvensyen KEMM1511

Antara resolusi KEMM1511:

1. Bangsa Melayu telah menjadi bangsa Islam yang sebaris dengan bangsa-bangsa lain di kalangan umat Islam di serata dunia, memainkan peranan mengembang dan mendaulatkan Islam di rantau ini.
2. Kedudukan yang hebat itu telah dicapai kerana Islam telah sebati dengan pemikiran serta adab budaya Melayu sehingga melahirkan tamadun bangsa yang agung.
3. Sejarah mencatatkan kecekalan bangsa Melayu mempertahankan keperibadian dan jatidiri keIslaman mereka dalam siri perjuangan yang panjang menentang penjajah yang bertujuan menjadikan Melayu bangsa yang lemah.
4. Kesatuan agenda Islam dan semangat kebangsaannya telah berjaya menyatukan orang Melayu sepanjang sejarah.
5. Kelunturan pegangan umat Melayu kepada Islam telah melemahkan sendi-sendi kekuatan yang menjadi pemangkin untuk agenda penjajah yang berteraskan humanism dan materialism bertapak lalu melemahkan jatidiri bangsa Melayu.

Berdasarkan rumusan tersebut Konvensyen Memperingati 500 Kejatuhan Empayar Melayu Islam Melaka menegaskan bahawa bangsa Melayu mesti:

1. Menyedari keperluan yang mendesak supaya kembali kepada keperibadian Islam mereka yang asal.
2. Mengharmonikan kefahaman antara Nasionalis dengan Islamis dalam perjuangan bangsa Melayu di Malaysia.
3. Menjadikan usaha mengumpul bukti-bukti sejarah yang boleh mengembalikan Melayu kepada jatidiri mereka sebagai agenda nasional.
4. Mendedahkan fakta-fakta sejarah bagi memberi nafas baru dalam memahami sejarah perjuangan bangsa Melayu.
5. Mentajdid peradaban Melayu dalam rangka mewariskan kisah kegemilangan, peradaban dan kepahlawanan umat Islam.
6. Mencari persepakatan atas satu agenda yang boleh mambangunkan sebuah bangsa yang mempunyai agenda yang didukung bersama, “Melayu sepakat Islam berdaulat”.
7. Memperkasakan institusi yang memperjuangkan dan memartabatkan identiti keperibadian bangsa Melayu.

Letter from Egypt

From:Hadil El-Khouly


To:undisclosed-recipients:;


Dear Friends

Today I flew back to Cairo to join family and friends in this historic uprising againts Mubarak's despotic regime. A few of us on the plane found ourselves in tears just laying our eyes on Cairo as its lights appeared from the sky.

Many of my friends have been camping in Tahrir square all night, while others have been arrested and beaten and humilated.

Yet the determination and strength of everyone is like an earthquake that shook Mubarak's system.

On my way from the airport I passed by at least 10 security checks, including neighborhood watches from ordinary people who sat up all night ,set up fire to warm themselves in the cold and arming themselves with whatever weapons they could find againt thugs and secret riot police who try to terrorize and intimidate people.

I stayed up all night chatting with friends who have been going regularly to tahrir square, sharing stories upon which we cracked up laughing and stories whch made us shed tears.Two of them had just been released from secret police who caught them bringing much needed medical aid and cotton to injured protestors at the square.These were a group of 16-19 year old teenagers, yet this didnt stop the police from terrorizing and assaulting them.

Muhamad Haeikal one of the prominent Egyptian thinkers summarized the whole situation in one beautifull sentence " the ugliest of what is in Egypt tried brutally to kill what is most noble in it".
It was eye opening to all of us, especially the pro-democracy opposition activist like us, that while the world, then UN, the various Human development reports, were telling us how uneducated, poor, corrupt, violent and racist we are, it was amazing to see a humane, noble, conscious and aware people that is humbling to say at least. It is incredible to see how when our ruthless dictators loose their ground, a nobility and love for one own's country emerges.

A picture in the front page on one of the newspaper here was showing a picture of an army solider who was shedding tears beacuse he could not protect the proestors from the violent thugs. The picture is showing one of the protestors whiping away his tears.

Coptic Christians formed human chains around Muslims protecting them while they are performing their friday prayers.

The stories of heroism are incredible, this is the first time in our history we witness riot police being inspected by neighbourhood watch people.
A doctor was sharing, on the funny side, how an old man with more than 30 bones broken still insisted on coming to the square every day! He was begging the man not to return so he can give medical aid to others.

In the middle of all of this, Egyptians did not loose their sense of humor, people chanting and dancing in the millions " Mubarak went crazy' as the tanks stand behind them and try to terrorize them.
There were the stories of Azhar scholars and students joining the protestors in their cloaks , even though the only slogans they knew were from the times of resistance to the british colonial rule, people embraced them laughingly and warmly while carrying them on thier shoulders and chanting.

I will head to the Tahrir square in an hour. Please do share the updates with your contacts and media.

Love,

Hadil