Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

Can an Arab be a decent family man?

Did McCain really show integrity after a questioner said "[Obama’s] an Arab"? McCain’s response was that Obama was, in fact, a decent family man, so apparently, by definition, he can’t be an Arab. We all know, of course, that Arabs mistreat their women, and, almost ..

The Hypocrisy of (some) Arab Liberals

It’s strange that they have waited this long to fight for "a better Jordan." While nonviolent Islamist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, were being repressed by the government, we did not hear from them this talk of rights and freedoms. When Jordan witnessed the most blatantly rigged elections in its history (in 2007), we did not hear this outrage. We heard mostly a silent acquiescence, in part because Arab liberals have long feared that if there were, in fact, free and fair el..

Let’s not talk about Saudi Arabia

It’s been 7 years since 9/11 and, yet, it’s really quite remarkable how we have done very little to recast our relationship with Saudi Arabia. I bring this up because a ..

Engaging the Middle East

At what point will the failure to finesse properly the politics of hundreds of million of people of varying cultures, sectarian devotions and tribal loyalties half a world away be credited to the impossibility of the task and not the inadequacy of the tools? ..

How Much Does the Middle East Matter?

The rise of "declinist" literature (that’s not really a word, is it?) has been well-documented by others - these efforts aimed at recording (or perhaps inviting) the end of the American era. The gist is of the thesis is that America will remain strong, but will increasingly find itself challenged by rising powers, among them China, Russia, and India. America’s declining influence under Bush is, it seems, often used a ..

9/11: Facts and Narratives

Our challenges in the Middle East are not simply about policy; they are about narratives, and our failure to understand their importance. I was reminded of this again last week, when some relatives from Egypt were visiting for a wedding. I had mentioned 9/11 in the context of civil rights for Muslims in America. ..

The Boiling Point

How you feel about the following YouTube video probably says something about how you feel about the broader effort to promote Middle East democracy..

A Moderate Islamist is Arrested in Egypt - and What it Means for Us

Last Wednesday, Khaled Hamza, an influential (although low-profile) moderate in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, was arrested. Hamza is the editor-in-chief of Ikhwanweb, the Brotherhood’s official English website...

"I want to be an American" - Obama fever taking over Europe

Granted, this is anecdotal, but still. A friend was telling me that one of her Dutch friends, after watching the Obama South Carolina victory speech, said "I was listening to it and I wanted to be an American."..

The Need to Prioritize Elections

I have to say that I get really troubled by the assertion that “elections alone don’t make a democracy.” Of course, it’s true as far as descriptive statements go. But the implications are troubling. I know this isn’t what Patrick was trying to say in his post, but too many others are saying it – that the U.S. has made a mistake by emphasizing elections, and, therefore, the U.S. should de-prioritize elections...

Yes We Can

I’m not sure there’s very much the US government can or should do, in practice, to push Egypt into becoming a democracy...

America vs. Americans - how the rest of the world sees us

What would a Democratic victory mean in 2008? It’s worth considering one additional point (as if you needed more), that isn’t often made, at least not explicitly...

Bhutto says Bin Laden was Murdered?

Ok, this is really weird. David Frost is interviewing Benazir Bhutto on his Al Jazeera program (from November)...

The Nuclear Scenario in Pakistan

If Islamists within the military or ISI did this, then we have the possibility that this is the beginning of something more ominous than the surface event. The collapse of Pakistan into a Jihadist nuclear power is the great nightmare. ..

Thought Experiment - A Muslim Europe?

I was actually joking. “These Muslims don’t have any respect for British mainstream culture. They walk around drenched in black, covering their faces, wearing their niqabs. If they’re going to come here, they should at least have respect for our values!” A statement like this would have inspired confusion among those who know me, since I am Muslim, but not British. My conversation partner, ..

The NIE and Remembering Things Lost

I find it surprising that nearly every conservative commentator out there is decrying the NIE on Iran’s nuclear program...

Will an "Islamic Reformation" Ever Come?

There’s been an interesting discussion in the blogosphere recently on “moderate Muslims” and the broader issue of whether there is or will be a “Muslim reformation” (see here, here, here, as well as Matt Yglesias’s response here). Often, the conversation takes on a patronizing tone. What’s up with these Muslims, and why can’t they get their act together? It is a bit ironic that it’s those on the American Right (and far-right) - the very people who have so indulged Christian fundamental..

To be an American Muslim?

Ali Eteraz is fun to read, and his articles are often quite provoking (in a good way). I like how he takes the shibboleths of a community, and attempts to tear them apart, with sometimes rather amusing results. In his latest for the Guardian, ..

The Worst Answer of Last Night’s Debate

Lastly, Dodd does something which I find really annoying. Republicans tend to do it quite a bit, but Democrats occasionally fall into the trap as well. This is the habit of listing all Islamist groups as part of one monolithic threat and failing to make the any distinctions. To refer to Islamic Jihad and the Muslim Brotherhood in the same sentence is mindboggling. The former is a fringe terrorist organization that has a relatively small following in Gaza. The latter is the strongest op..

Looking for Moderate Islamists

Houdaiby has also been an outspoken proponent of an official U.S.-Islamist dialogue. Where many other Islamists are afraid to be associated with the U.S., Houdaiby is of a different mind, as he makes clear in this op-ed. If you’re concerned that he’s just pandering to Western audiences, you can find out for yourself by reading his personal blog in Arabic. ..