Mick Hartley

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Leading Friday Prayers

It's one of those moments that may mean nothing – or may be hugely significant:

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to celebrate the overthrow one week ago of Hosni Mubarak as Egypt's president.

Organisers are hoping to maintain pressure on the new military government to implement democratic reforms.

Correspondents say there is a festive atmosphere, with a military band playing and people waving flags.

Leading Friday prayers at the square, a senior cleric called on Arab leaders to listen to their people.

And who was that senior cleric? Our old friend Sheikh Qaradawi. Him of the Muslim Brotherhood. Now returned from exile to something like a hero's welcome.

The future now in the Arab world may well be post-Islamist. Let's hope so. But as long as clerics like Qaradawi can hitch themselves onto the popular anti-Mubarak movement on the street, there's going to be concern. Check out Barry Rubin: Egypt gets its Khomeini.

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2 responses to “Leading Friday Prayers”

  1. Noga Avatar
    Noga

    From Rubin’s article:
    “Friday, February 18 may be a turning point in Egyptian history. On this 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.”
    Here is what it looked like:
    “For those who say that there are no foreign policy goals for Egyptian protesters, you need to watch this. In it, Egyptians (more than 2 million today) in Tahrir Square chant: “To Jerusalem we are heading, Martyrs in the millions.” (Yes, it rhymes in Arabic)”
    From the blog of “Angry Arab”, a “secular anarchist” professor at UCLA, who approves:
    http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/02/zionists-who-are-freaking-out-may-freak.html
    This is the youtube he cites:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLM3CswkfQw&feature=youtu.be

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  2. Martin Adamson Avatar
    Martin Adamson

    Another sign that this is a replay of Iran 1979
    “Google executive Wael Ghonim, who emerged as a leading voice in Egypt’s uprising, was barred from the stage in Tahrir Square on Friday by security guards, an AFP photographer said. Ghonim tried to take the stage in Tahrir, the epicentre of anti-regime protests that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, but men who appeared to be guarding influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi barred him from doing so.
    Ghonim, who was angered by the episode, then left the square with his face hidden by an Egyptian flag.”
    http://www.hindustantimes.com/Egypt-protest-hero-Wael-Ghonim-barred-from-stage/Article1-663996.aspx

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