The Muslim Brotherhood has faced a major problem since the revolution. On the one hand their filling the sudden vacuum of power suddenly and stupidly created by the revolution of the secular upper middle class was inevitable. On the other hand they needed some sort of model to wave in front of their people, the Egyptian people at large, and the world as a whole. Islamists constantly insist that the utter failures and despicable atrocities of Islamist experiments in Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Northern Mali are all just errors in execution. A "true Islamic country" on the other hand would be heaven on Earth.
So what would that look like?
What the MB presented as examples of successful "Islamic democracies" have consistently been Malaysia and Turkey. In both countries the MB has found the right balance of economic success, local stability and control, and international recognition that the secretive sinister organization so strongly desires. But any examination of either country with any depth reveals that they don't only contradict what the MB has been and intends to do with Egypt, but also contradict what the MB says about them.
In Malaysia we are supposed to see a stable Islamic democratic society with an Islamic constitution and a miraculous economy built entirely on the religious zeal and hard work inspired by Mahathir Mohamad. In reality Malaysia is absolutely none of these things. Malaysia is not a democracy by any definition. There is little or no political freedom in the country, and freedom of expression is only allowed within preset limits. Malaysia is also not an Islamic country, and its constitution, read beyond the preambles is not nearly as theocratic as Egypt's.
In fact Malaysia's current stability is a result of a short lived civil war between the Malay's and the Chinese of the country. The status quo in the country is a balance of affirmative action, large scale religious and cultural freedoms, and prescribed sectarian power sharing. What the MB and Salafists claim to be Malaysia's application of Islamic law or Shariia is simply the application of Islamic personal laws to Muslims and only Muslims. This is identical to the situation under Mubarak. Attempts at applying Islamic penal law, or huddud, have consistently been struck down by the Malaysian supreme court based on its "Islamic constitution."
This is all well and good, but to claim that Malaysians' standard of living, admittedly exceeding many western countries, is due to the application of Shariia is so disingenuous it's evil. Malaysia is a country of 20 million people, practically drowning in oil, water resources, equatorial rain forests, rubber plantations, palm oil, and Tin. How that can be compared to an overpopulated desert country with dwindling resources in ... everything is beyond me. But the more shocking part of the story is that the Chinese Malaysians (40% of the population) are beyond most of the country's entrepreneurship and growth. Perhaps it is uncool to admit that the Pagan Buddhists are the reason that the Muslim Malays are living so well, but this is pretty much what Mahathir Mohamad said at the end of his term as he lamented the failure of Malays to utilize affirmative action acts he initiated.
Turkey is an even more shocking example to use. It's so absurd and irrelevant that I don't even know where to begin. Turkey is a solidly secular society. All sectors of Turkish society, and all factions of Turkish politics believe, almost religiously (even if it is an oxymoron) that secularism is a necessity. Turks also pride themselves in a unique national identity, almost to the extent of supremacism. All Turks also pride themselves in being a bridge between Europe and Asia, and in equal amounts. So when Erdogan (the avatar that the MB so often conjured in their descriptions of a utopia to come) visited Egypt, he plainly said that Egypt must adopt a secular constitution. That was pretty much the end of the MB fascination with him as a figure, but their fascination with the industrial and practical success of Turkish Islamic parties has continued.
It is infuriating seeing Egyptian Islamists scam the Egyptian people about models they don't intend to imitate But it is almost sad seeing a lot of people believe them as they watch just one more episode of an atrociously acted Turkish soap opera and day-dream about a society with which they have nothing in common.
For a better view of the future, Egyptian should look at the last country the MB ruled with a pseudo-theocratic constitution: The Sudan.
So what would that look like?
What the MB presented as examples of successful "Islamic democracies" have consistently been Malaysia and Turkey. In both countries the MB has found the right balance of economic success, local stability and control, and international recognition that the secretive sinister organization so strongly desires. But any examination of either country with any depth reveals that they don't only contradict what the MB has been and intends to do with Egypt, but also contradict what the MB says about them.
In Malaysia we are supposed to see a stable Islamic democratic society with an Islamic constitution and a miraculous economy built entirely on the religious zeal and hard work inspired by Mahathir Mohamad. In reality Malaysia is absolutely none of these things. Malaysia is not a democracy by any definition. There is little or no political freedom in the country, and freedom of expression is only allowed within preset limits. Malaysia is also not an Islamic country, and its constitution, read beyond the preambles is not nearly as theocratic as Egypt's.
In fact Malaysia's current stability is a result of a short lived civil war between the Malay's and the Chinese of the country. The status quo in the country is a balance of affirmative action, large scale religious and cultural freedoms, and prescribed sectarian power sharing. What the MB and Salafists claim to be Malaysia's application of Islamic law or Shariia is simply the application of Islamic personal laws to Muslims and only Muslims. This is identical to the situation under Mubarak. Attempts at applying Islamic penal law, or huddud, have consistently been struck down by the Malaysian supreme court based on its "Islamic constitution."
This is all well and good, but to claim that Malaysians' standard of living, admittedly exceeding many western countries, is due to the application of Shariia is so disingenuous it's evil. Malaysia is a country of 20 million people, practically drowning in oil, water resources, equatorial rain forests, rubber plantations, palm oil, and Tin. How that can be compared to an overpopulated desert country with dwindling resources in ... everything is beyond me. But the more shocking part of the story is that the Chinese Malaysians (40% of the population) are beyond most of the country's entrepreneurship and growth. Perhaps it is uncool to admit that the Pagan Buddhists are the reason that the Muslim Malays are living so well, but this is pretty much what Mahathir Mohamad said at the end of his term as he lamented the failure of Malays to utilize affirmative action acts he initiated.
Turkey is an even more shocking example to use. It's so absurd and irrelevant that I don't even know where to begin. Turkey is a solidly secular society. All sectors of Turkish society, and all factions of Turkish politics believe, almost religiously (even if it is an oxymoron) that secularism is a necessity. Turks also pride themselves in a unique national identity, almost to the extent of supremacism. All Turks also pride themselves in being a bridge between Europe and Asia, and in equal amounts. So when Erdogan (the avatar that the MB so often conjured in their descriptions of a utopia to come) visited Egypt, he plainly said that Egypt must adopt a secular constitution. That was pretty much the end of the MB fascination with him as a figure, but their fascination with the industrial and practical success of Turkish Islamic parties has continued.
It is infuriating seeing Egyptian Islamists scam the Egyptian people about models they don't intend to imitate But it is almost sad seeing a lot of people believe them as they watch just one more episode of an atrociously acted Turkish soap opera and day-dream about a society with which they have nothing in common.
For a better view of the future, Egyptian should look at the last country the MB ruled with a pseudo-theocratic constitution: The Sudan.
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