The “yes” vote and the Divine

Most of us by now realize that Egypt’s January 25 revolution was sparked by a youthful minority that was passionate about a set of core and universal values, a minority that has failed to influence the course of events since Mubarak stepped down. But can this young conscience of our nation maintain its stamina in the face of one harsh blow after another? The heroes that many members of this group believed in at one point in time are being shattered, slowly and surely.

The last of these heroes was the esteemed former grand mufti of Egypt, Sheikh Ali Gomaa. The series began with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces which first “protected” the revolution but then committed a streak of terrible decisions which ended in bloody confrontations. Next was the Muslim Brotherhood. Many Egyptians afforded the movement the benefit of the doubt and accepted its promise to side with the revolution, and represent all Egyptians as part of its new ruling class. But the Brotherhood showed nothing but arrogance and was divisive in its priorities. But then, in the eyes of Egyptians, a fearless leader emerged. But he too was fallible, following up his apparent heroism by doing a great injustice against his opposition.

Sheikh Ali Gomaa represents a new depth of inner torment for Egyptian idealists. Not only does this man embody a set of rare gifts in the realm of Muslim scholarship, but he also preaches equality and co-existence, beliefs that are grounded in what many believe to be authentic, traditionalist Islam. The man is active like no other on the world stage in interfaith dialogue, and is known to be good friends with the former archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. He also heads up a multi-billion-pound charity and development organization known as Misr al-Kheir. In short, Ali Gomaa’s scholastic, social and personal contributions are too many to even attempt to list.

But last week we watched as this remarkable scholar repeated the same claim made by the Muslim Brotherhood and its Salafi partners only a painfully short time ago. We saw an emotional, almost weeping, Ali Gomaa urge Egyptians to rally for a “yes” vote in the constitutional referendum. The biggest shock, as though it was not enough that he was involving himself so intensely and publicly, was when he solemnly declared that “yes” voters would be supported by the Divine.

The idealists who look up to this man could probably see that he genuinely believes his claim. After witnessing his overflowing emotions as he addressed the cheering crowd, there is no other conclusion that can be made. But does Ali Gomaa not realize that his politicized predecessors from the Brotherhood-Salafi camp probably had the same conviction when they made the same claim? Is this not reason enough to abstain from voicing such a belief, repeating as it does the excess of a group that we were so happy to overthrow?

Most of us, Ali Gomaa included, realize that many Egyptians succumbed to the claims of the Brotherhood-Salafi camp only because they are honest and God-loving. We know that it is not because of any ill intentions that Egyptians gave democratic victory to this camp, but rather their lack of knowledge which makes them incapable of distinguishing authentic scholars from pseudo ones (along with a host of socio-economic reasons, of course). We know that this camp gained its victory from shallow, misleading arguments.

If we are ever to see an Egypt that is prosperous, just and big enough for all of us, Ali Gomaa must realize that Egypt needs these God-loving citizens to rally around him and his moderate approach to Islam. Is it not clear that, for this purpose, he must refrain from making claims that may turn people away?

The only real and lasting answer to Islamic extremism is to encourage greater popular support for Ali Gomaa and others like him. Anything else will be counter-productive. Not only Egypt but the world at large stands to benefit if the likes of Ali Gomaa enjoy greater support and influence.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for hopeful Egyptians to make sense of their crazy country. But there must always be a tempered optimism. Egyptians must seek that which unites them, and we must identify the ideals around which we can all rally.