The Islamists: Islam, People and Power Boxset

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 16 December 2016

⏱️ 27 minutes

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Summary

What should the relationship be between Islam and the state? This is the question which dominates political debate in the Arab world. Many traditional Islamic scholars believe in the separation of religion and politics. For the Muslim Brotherhood though – the Arab world’s foremost social and political movement - the goal is to create an Islamic state.

In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood was elected to power after the Arab uprisings. But its plans quickly ended in failure. After just a year in office, the Brotherhood government faced mass protests before it was deposed by a military coup.

As presenter Safa Al Ahmad discovers, these events have caused an unprecedented level of debate between members past and present. She talks to a Brotherhood veteran who believes the Brotherhood should have remained a social movement rather than entering politics and to young members who believe it should be more revolutionary.

(Image: Muslim Brotherhood supporter holds a banner with the Arabic slogan 'Islam is the Solution' during a demonstration in Cairo 08 November 2005. Credit: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the third edition of Islam, People and Power on the BBC World Service.
0:10.0	I'm Safa El Ahmed, journalist and documentary maker.
0:14.7	I've spent my career covering the Arab world,
0:17.6	but the uprisings and revolutions that began in 2010
0:21.0	took even me by surprise.
0:22.6	I've reported on these events,
0:25.0	I've reported on these events,
0:30.0	but I've also become intrigued by the ideas in a region where Islam is a dominant faith
0:36.1	Muslims have been asking is rebelling against an oppressive government a religious obligation
0:41.5	One of the highest levels of jihad is to confront an unjust ruler.
0:46.0	Or is it a sin?
0:47.5	You cannot call for jihad against your government.
0:50.5	And one dictator... And when dictators fall, what next? What role should religion play in the way we are governed?
1:01.9	In this episode, we'll hear from Sunni Islam's most significant political and social movement
1:07.2	the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
1:09.2	Allah is our aim, our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Quran is our constitution. To die for
1:19.6	the sake of God is the best objective or in we have.
1:25.0	That is their oath and this is their story.
1:29.0	Within the space of one year, they went from winning the presidential elections.
1:33.0	I say it, a Rhaiz, a doctor Mohammed mercy.
1:39.0	To being ousted in a coup and forced to flee the country.
1:43.0	It's very dangerous for me to be in Egypt right now.
	...

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