December 2011, Pages 59-60

Waging Peace

Panel Explores Egypt's Changing Religious Climate

The Washington, DC-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted an Oct. 6 panel discussion titled "Post-Revolutionary Egypt: New Trends in Islam." Moderated by Marina Ottaway, senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Program, the panel focused its attention on the changes occurring within Egypt's religious institutions.

George Washington University professor Nathan Brown began by emphasizing the importance of analyzing what is happening in Egypt at the micro level. Explaining that "mini-revolutions" are occurring within such institutions as the press, labor unions, and religious organizations, Brown stressed that the outcomes of these institutional conflicts will significantly impact Egypt's future.

Focusing on Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Brown noted that Sunni Islam's highest institution of learning is undergoing an internal process of determining its role in Egypt's future. Under state control since 1961, he pointed out, Al-Azhar has long been co-opted by Egypt's authoritarian regimes. Now free from previous restraints, many voices within the institution are fighting for Al-Azhar to win greater independent authority over Egypt's religious matters. Many within the institution, which Brown described as having a "strong sense of institutional pride," would like to see all of Egypt's religious organizations, such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs, brought within Al-Azhar's sphere.

Explaining that the "stakes are fairly high" in the battle for Al-Azhar's future, Brown noted that most Egyptians agree that Al-Azhar should assume greater authority over Egypt's religious affairs. Nevertheless, Brown stressed that there is both internal and external disagreement as to the degree of power Al-Azhar should assume. Some within the institution, such as Grand Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, a Mubarak appointee, have proposed a modest expansion of Al-Azhar's powers. Those outside Al-Azhar, most notably Salafi Islamists, have expressed unease with the idea of Al-Azhar having a monopoly over Egypt's religious affairs.

Khaled Elgindy, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, was critical of the Western interpretation of Egypt's changing political and religious climates. Describing the discourse on Egypt as "limited and narrow and also a little bit behind," Elgindy argued that the potential role of the Muslim Brotherhood has been over-analyzed, while the changing role of Al-Azhar and the growing power of the Salafists and other groups has been overlooked.

Addressing the "chaotic political atmosphere in the country," Elgindy noted that the division of Egyptian society into hundreds of political groups has made it difficult to monitor the country's political climate. This proliferation is "not necessarily constructive or conducive toward their goals of advancing a democratic program," he added.

Given the dramatic surge in the popularity of Salafism over the past few months, Jonathan Brown, a professor at Georgetown University, spent the majority of his time discussing that religious group. Noting that Salafism had a "very precarious existence during the Mubarak years," Brown explained that it nevertheless has managed to spread from its base in Alexandria to Cairo and cities along the Nile Delta, such as Tanta.

While the Salafis, who have no hierarchical power structure, had "severe problems with discipline" after the revolution, Brown noted, they have since increased their political savvy and restraint. There currently are four known Salafi parties in Egypt, he said, and Salafis have shown "incredible solidarity" in uniting around Hazem Salah Abu Ismail as their presidential candidate. The big question going forward, Brown concluded, is "who is able to get more votes, the non-Salafi Muslim Brotherhood or the Salafi groups?"

—Dale Sprusansky