I'm not affiliated to any religious movement, nor political party. I am an ordinary Muslim, who writes about Islam, Muslim's social issues, and other issues, which I perceive worth writing about.
This article features Dr. Mohamed Morsi, who made headlines across the world, aggressively, in the last one and a half years. It therefore has nothing to do with the party, to which he may or may not belong.
Mohamed Morsi is a contemporary Muslim personality and phenomenon, which I believe Muslims need to know, the untold story about the man.
The first thing that caught my attention about Mohamed Morsi, is that he popped up, out from “nowhere” into the Egyptian political arena, which subsequently made him an iconic figure and the 3rd runner-up for Time's person of the year, for 2012.
We have many Muslim leaders, from the past and contemporary, but Mohamed Morsi is an exemplary Muslim president, who I believe every Muslim should look up at, with respect. Mohamed Morsi is not only the first democratically elected Arab Muslim leader, he's also the first Arab Muslim leader, who has memorized the whole Qur'an, by heart.
Egyptians know that, one of Mohamed Morsi's sons is working in one of the Gulf States, to make a living, and another son of his, is currently unemployed and is searching for job. They also know, that Mohamed Morsi's sister passed away, last year, in the Zagazig University Hospital. He had refused to use public (tax payers') money to send her abroad for treatment. In other words, he couldn't afford financially, to send his sister, who battled cancer for ten years, abroad for treatment.
Only a few people know that Mohamed Morsi disallowed his family members to go on holidays at the expense of the state. Instead, they have to take commercial flights, in economy class.
Back in history, it's said, that Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz used to light the state-funded lantern when he looked into state-related issues. But whenever he wanted to do his personal things, he would blow out the state-funded lantern, and light his own. Does it sound familiar?
Did you know, that Mohamed Morsi offered his Friday prayers constantly? Maybe, I have to indicate here, that Friday prayers must be done in congregation, not in one's office, unless one's office is where the congregation takes place, for the public. In addition to that, Mohamed Morsi is very consistent in his Fajr prayers.
Barack Obama promised to bring hope to America and Americans. He was eventually accused of failing to deliver, after four years (not one year) of full term. Yet, he is re-elected to serve a second term. Mohamed Morsi was ousted, after one year, for failing to fulfill his promises, as the President, of a country that was militarily ruled throughout its contemporary history.
I just wonder, where in history did any ruler manage to make miracles, and turned a “seventh class” country into a “first class” country within a year? More so, I personally find the narrations, that assume that Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz had made wonders in two years, to be questionable.
We were told, that Mohamed Morsi approved the “ultimate power” for himself and had therefore set himself as an elected dictator, so to impose the Islamic Shari'ah law on “secular” Egypt. That was the story of his opponents. But the story on the side of the coin says, that Mohamed Morsi did what he did, so he could lead the country, effectively. Although Mohamed Morsi had that “ultimate power” as the president, he still got ousted within a year. I wonder how long he would have stayed, if he didn't have that “ultimate power.”
Yes, Mohamed Morsi legislated that “ultimate power”, but for the President, not for Mohamed Morsi (himself). He knew very well, more than anyone else, that he had four years (to eight years, maximum) to serve, and hand over that “ultimate power” to someone else, whom may be his opponent.
In the one year Mohamed Morsi spent in office, everyone automatically gained ultimate freedom of speech in Egypt, to the extent that he was mocked on various media platforms, and he even had to sue some offenders. Did I say he sued somebody? Yes, he had to. Can someone show me one Arab Muslim leader who ever sued an ant, for offense? If you mistakenly offend him, you and your immediate family will go missing. If you offend him purposely, you and your entire village/town/city (his people) will perish. Less than an hour, after Mohamed Morsi was overthrown, his ousters shut down all TV and cable channels and papers which are run or belong to Islamist. Why? I have no idea.
Before the military coup take place, millions gathered in support of Mohamed Morsi, to remain in power. After he's ousted, they are still gathering, even in bigger numbers, calling for him be returned to his post. On the other hand, those who demonstrated and demanded for him to be overthrown” disappeared. I expected them to continue to gather, in support and defence of the coup. This is to say, that I see consistency in the support Mohamed Morsi had attained, automatically.
A week before the coup, a sudden shortage of fuel occurred in Cairo. Miraculously, barely 24 hours, after Mohamed Morsi was overthrown, the scarce of fuel situation no longer existed. Where did they get fuel from, within 24 hours?
Mohamed Morsi wasn't a perfect president. Perhaps, he also lacks the experience. But the truth is, no experienced president will ever be perfect, either. Whether Mohamed Morsi returns back to office or not, until the time of writing these lines, no one, who knows what has happened, and who has read from different sources, can accuse Mohamed Morsi of corruption, immorality, or favouritism, or even dishonesty towards his country. All it requires is to be just.
Mohamed Morsi extended invitation to leaders of the political parties who lost in last year's elections, to join him to form a coalition government, but they refused. When he appointed Ministers from the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), that's when they (the opponents) started attacking him for dictatorship and partisanship. That's, precisely, why they refused joining in any government, right from the beginning. So to use his reactions to accuse him.
Saying all I've said about Mohamed Morsi; the man was religious, pious, a Hafiz, an exemplary, this and that (all religious related) Mohamed Morsi wasn't elected because he had Islamic education background. The truth is; he doesn't. Mohamed Morsi is a trained engineer, who had studied and taught in California, USA, before returning home, to work as the head of the engineering department at Zagazig University. Isn't that enough to entitle him to be a qualified leader?
Why was Mohamed Morsi ousted? Does it have something to do with him being an ‘Islamist', a practicing Muslim, or being from the Muslim Brotherhood? Is it because he was an inexperienced politician? Was it due to the fact that he failed to change Egypt miraculously into a world class country, within 365 days? I have no answer to any of the questions above. Only time will tell.
I'm dreaming, with high hopes, for the day I'll read a book, authored by Dr. Mohamed Morsi. I'm afraid he might not write that book with a pen and ink, as he has started writing history (his story) with his body, sweat, blood and tears.
Feel free to comment. I would like to hear your views.
Allah knows best.
Allahu Hafiz 
Assalamualaikum Ustaz,
Jazakallah khayr for placing the words in my head in writing!
Not sure if you have read this article but just thought I’d share it: http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/warning-humanitarian-catastrophe-egypt-tightens-siege-gaza
This whole thing, to me, is just a political ruse by the Americans and Israelis who foresee the threat of an Islamic egypt headed by an Islamic leader and backed with the ‘ulama of Al-Azhar.
Wallahua’alam.
Salam Fady,
Glad to see you here…. 🙂
We live in time of Fitnah, in the time where even the wise is confused. By the time realize they’ve caused lots of damage to your nation, and to the Ummah, at large.
Certainly, the weaker the Ummah becomes, the more peace of mind the Israelis generate, and the longer they think they are going to stay.
May Allah guide us, and keep us away from any Finah.. Ameen!
Assalaamu’alaikum wr wb.
Neither am I affiliated to any party or religious movement. I have been invited by Ustaz Baba Salam to give my honest opinion about Mursi and his leadership of Egypt. My views may be unpopular because I am aware of the great number of fans of Mursi out there and I want to be clear that this is not an attack on him and is not personal and neither is it meant to denigrate his character. I am also not interested in enagaging in a sectarian debate because these debates have been around for 1400 years and they are not going to disappear through any debate here so therefore they are a waste of time and will lead only to unnecessary rancour. My comments are from the point of view of a student of history (contemporary Middle East) and political science (both political systems and international relations), and also of course, as an interested Muslim. I am also aware that this comments are made in the fasting month so if anyone of you wants to discuss, please read carefully what I have written first before composing your reply. I will only reply to issues raised here, not personal attacks or denigrating insinuations as I am fasting (and so are you). I am also aware that there are powers out there who are quick to take try to dislodge any hint of an Islamic government in Egypt. I have always been mindful that Egypt had been a major frontline state (together with Syria) against Israel. So I am also aware of the geopolitical strategic implications fo an Islamic Egypt and what it can mean for Israel and the latter’s backers.
The above comments from the writer (Ustaz Baba Salam) so far about Mursi attest to his good character and intention, and I am not disputing it anyway. However, lest some things be forgotten, it must be noted that some of these may be of little relevance to the task that he has at hand. The fact that he is a hafiz of the Qur’an does not make him a faqih albeit perhaps shows his greater religiosity as compared rightly by the writer.
His sudden appearance and being on being Time’s Person of the Year may also be seen ina different light. His sudden appearance in Egyptian politics may also mark him as a relative novice to politics and therefore, perhaps, showed a little naivity in his decisions (more of which will be said later, insya’Allah).
Mursi’s one year in office means that it is unjustified to judge him on his performance. If this is so I will have to disagree. While we perhaps cannot judge him on his planned long-term policies, we can still study the impact of what he has done in his one year in office.
In my view one of the biggest mistakes that Mursi made in his year in office was to push through the “constitution” without a consensus. As much as Egyot is a Muslim majority country, he should have got a consensus with the non-Muslims (and his fellow Muslims) about the constitution. The Prophet Muhammad (saaw) took the time to institute the Consititution of Madinah through getting the agreement fo all parties in Madinah. It wasn’t shoved down upon everyone. Shouldn’t Mursi have done that too?
This became a rallying point for the opposition that Mursi was unable to undo. He was in too much of a hurry to implement the Shar’iah on a population that although largely Muslim, is far from ready for that. Here perhaps, the view of the current Ikhwanul Muslimun about the Islamic state plays a major influence on his decision. Note that the Ikhwanul Muslimun started without that in mind but that has changed in more recent years. The Muslims themselves are not ready for an Islamic state when they have their hearts are still not in a a state of Islam (please udnerstand this last sentence carefully as I in no way mean that they are non-Muslims).
This quest for “ultimate power” as the writer puts it, supports my contention that Mursi was in a hurry to set up a state in “his image”. This was disappointing as the Ikhwan has bided its time all these years of hounding, persecution and hiding. Then suddenly, it thought it could do renovation of the Egyptian state when it does even have overwhelming support. And even if it does, a slower and more considered approach would be better. Instead, Mursi pushed for the constitution and rammed it through despite strong opposition. For this reasons, his offer to the political parties to join him was not taken up. A constitution is only a piece of paper if nobody feels that they are a part of its creation. Even some Muslims do nto identify with it.
His openness with the media while commendable, also requires him to be very careful in the steps that he takes while in office. That openness meant that he can be oepnly criticised wrongly (and rightly). It means that he has to engage in a dialogue and have a better relations with the media. That becomes an important skill. Taking the right steps on the Constitution, for example, will give the media less effective ammunition to “shoot” him down. Unfortunately, perhaps, Mursi didn’t show it. He tried to appeal to the general populace or perhaps more correctly, his Ikhwan constituents.
He, perhaps in his political naivity, also appointed people of questionable character. He appointed people who are tainted too (see http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/22/us-egypt-mursi-idUSBRE95L07420130622). With hindsight (it has to be with hindsight) also, those whom he appointed also deserted him at the first sign of trouble from the military. They abandoned him quickly.
This brings me to the issue of the military. The reality is that without full support fo the military, no Islamic or even democratic givernment is going to succeed. Perhaps “support” is not the right word. It should be “acquisecence”. Mursi had removed a powerful Field Marshall and appointed another general to head the Egyptian Armed Froces.
This move I am sure is not forgotten by the military. Instead of getting support from the military, he merely alienated this powerful “boys club” who not only controlled the military assets of the country abut also much of its economic assets. Mursi’s failing was this inability to fully appreciate its power and place. If he had expected gratefulness and loyalty, Mursi was sadly mistaken. Mursi sought appeasement by letting the military to continue their stranglehold on the economy. Moreover, what is perhaps seen by the military with regards to the removal of their field marshall is the eventual removal of their privileged position. Why accept a subservient role when the military already had it all? Moreover, if Mursi had expectedthem to see kindness in his dealings with them, they see only as his weakness.
Here perhaps, Mursi is not to shoulder all the blame. His organization, the Ikhwan should also shoulder a major part of the responsibility for this failure. The Ikhwan perhaps (based on what has happened) had not managed to infiltrate the higher military despite all these years since one of their members assassinated Sadat more than 30 years ago. In other words, the state of Islam has not arrived in the hearts of most of its generals and soldiers. There was probably a purge of the Ikhwan from the military after Sadat’s assassination and the Ikhwan has never been able to undo that. That left the Ikhwan virtually without friends in the military. Do not forget also the close relations the Egyptian military has with the US with the US pumping in billions to the Egyptian military (see http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2013/07/10/everything_you_need_to_know_about_us_aid_to_egypt_105308.html).
That mysterious shortage of fuel is not a surprise at all. With the military’s continued stranglehold on the economy, they probably purposefully squeezed that supply leading to Mursi’s ouster. The military is probably in agreement with its US masters about what to do with Mursi. They know which side of their bread is buttered. The coup, perhaps, was a foregone conclusion.
(To be continued insya’Allah……on the implications)
I think Egyptians are in for an unprecedent instability for a vert longtime.Furthermore,unless they wakeup and realise Egypt is the ONLY they have,even more lives will losr.May ALLAH SWT intervene mercifully.The point is,there are external forces/interests who are using Egyptians against themselves.Whats more,is that unless they install their stooge,they will not stop.I shed atear for Egypt and also pray for it
Keep writing until your people realise the sinister plan.
Just to add to your article, that the so called “ultimate power” was a temp measure from 22/11/2012 and until 15/12/2012 (less than one month). He has done it to prevent the corrupt constitution court from cancelling the newly elected constitution committee after the same court cancelled the democratically elected people’s assembly because Morsi’s party democratically won 47%. So, in summary, he gave himself the power to protect the new constitution committee from 22/11 and until the vote on 15/12. He lost this power on the day 64% voted yes to the new constitution which the Army has now cancelled.