The Muslim Brotherhood cannot be eliminated by media

Television channels are full of vicious attacks on Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood in an organised and systematic campaign intended to eliminate the movement. It has been said that their opponents aim to “burn them politically in the street and assassinate them morally amongst their own”; this statement illustrates that senior people in the opposition are orchestrating this war by media.

It is ironic that the current destructive opposition is using the same characters to do its dirty work as the former regime did. They flit from one television station to another, using the same toxic speech which should be unacceptable by all media, political and ethical norms. They are also using the same arguments which, over time, have been discredited, so it appears that they haven’t learnt from previous lessons that their loquacity always ends in their disgrace and defeat.

Such individuals are a part of us, the Egyptian people; politicians and media personalities who haven’t been able to move away from the shadow of the ousted president and his regime. They clearly do not understand the nature of the Egyptians and their propensity to favour the underdog even if they do not always support the latter. This is certainly true for an Islamic movement founded over 80 years ago which promoted Islamic thought at a time when the Caliphate had collapsed to be replaced by countries created arbitrarily by colonial powers.

The concept and dream of a united and well-established Islamic nation is still in the hearts and minds of all Muslims. As such, any ordinary citizen will, instinctively, feel that such rabid attacks against the Muslim Brotherhood are little short of a war on Islam itself and will thus do exactly the opposite of what the movement’s enemies want. If the opposition leaders had any wisdom, they would not have adopted the “Mubarak” approach to tackle their opponents; this is not how political battles are fought and won.

However, what can we say to people who do not know, do not learn, do not understand and have no wish to do so? Our youth said it to their former president in Tahrir Square during the revolution: “You, who do not understand, need to understand!” We say to these individuals, learn from the lessons of history and do not make the same mistakes that your ousted master made. You have seen his and his family’s disgrace and shameful end. Why do you insist on following his path; haven’t you learned your lesson?

Campaigns full of slander, lies, misinformation, falsehood and incitement against the Muslim Brotherhood are useless. All the opposition will gain is more hatred for its own programme. Claims that the popularity of the Brotherhood has decreased are untrue. Blind hatred has distorted the opposition’s analytical ability; this is the problem with political analysts who do not study the scene carefully enough and in an objective manner after putting aside personal desires.

Perhaps the upcoming elections will prove the Islamic movement’s public popularity, and perhaps then the opposition will realise its insignificance. I guarantee that it will not be very different from the last elections, as a military source reported recently in Al-Shurooq newspaper. Indeed, the Islamic movement may receive an even higher percentage of the vote as its candidates are no longer in prison as the opposition wishes, nor will it be humiliated or insulted in detention centres. That time is long gone and will not return. The people will not allow any future leader to exclude any faction from playing a meaningful role in civil society.
 
The opposition appears not to have realised that there has been a revolution in Egypt. Is it in denial, even today? Fear Allah, it may bring you peace of mind, and give us peace of mind as well. May Allah guide us all: “Surely Allah guides whom He pleases.”

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.