Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Jihādist leader ‘Abbūd al-Zumur who is in prison after being convicted in the assassination of former President Anwar al-Sādāt, has called for Islamist groups to unite politically.

Al-Jamā‘ah al-Islāmiyyah will soon launch a new Urdu-language website in 2011 that plans to reach out to the approximately 200 million East Asian Muslims who speak the language.

"The purpose of this website is to deliver the Islamic message without being excessive and overbearing. Part of it is also for those who use violence, for those who kill women and children, who execute terrorist operations in order to distort the image of Islam, like al-Qā‘idah network," says Dr. Nājih Ibrāhīm, Member of the Shurá Council.

Nājih then explained that the website has 15 sections, the most important of which are: the definition of current issues, the Fatwá section, and the definition of the group's initiative.

The autobiography of a former Muslim Brotherhood member has been banned by the Islamic Research Academy. However critics expected that it would be heralded by scholars as a warning against fundamentalism.

Muhammad Zuhdī discusses the meaning of jihād according to the Qur’ān.

The article deals with various aspects of the Muslim Brotherhood group that have been discussed in the press this week such as the group's relations with the U.S, the elections to the Muslim Brotherhood guide's office and the extension of the Emergency Law. The article also includes an interview with Yūsuf Nadā, who is the coordinator of the Muslim Brotherhood's political and international relations.

The article presents the various reactions to Mahdī ‘Ākif’s, the supreme guide of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, statements in which he praised Usāmah Bin Lādin and his al-Qā‘idah organization.

The author discusses content presented by religiously-themed satellite channels, namely ’al-Nās’, ’al-Rahmah’ and ’al-Hikmah’. He argues these channels are dominated by salafīs who spread backward, extremist ideas, with officials not taking action against them.

This article sheds light on salafism in Egypt. It points out the areas in which salafis spread and shows how powerful they are in these areas.

The author believes that even if Islam is the solution, Muslims themselves are the problem. Whenever they have weapons, they direct them towards their countries’ regimes even if the regimes govern in the name of Islam.

Muhammad ‘Abd al-Nabī Ibrāhīm comments on the background of the Muslim Brotherhood behind their ideology.