Ramifications of the Egyptian Intifadah-Mazen Mokhtar

 Can you feel the warm air in January?

What is happening in Egypt is of truly exciting and is of great global consequence. While Egypt's international influence has greatly weakened in the last 30 years, no country is better positioned to inspire change in other Arab countries. Many Palestinians consider that change in Egypt is better for their cause than change in the Palestinian National Authority.

Enlightened reform in Egyptian have direct and far reaching consequences for the cause of reform in other Arab countries, for the Palestinian cause, for International Trade, for the problem of water, for the global role the United States and for the international distribution of power.

As hopeful as the protests in Egypt are, we should remember that getting rid of an oppressive regime is the easier half of the desired reforms. The more delicate and much harder half is to establish a just system that does not repeat the mistakes of the old regime. This is a very difficult task because people are people, and the opposition is a collection of groups and parties, some of which are predisposed to corruption.  


Once a new system is established, it will immediately face awesome though exciting challenges:

1. To protect the legitimate rights and interests of Egyptians and all people in Egypt
2. To combat corruption in itself and in society
3. To heal social and communal wounds that have festered for decades
4. To rebuild the infrastructure of Egypt
5. To act as a catalyst for Educational, Scientific, Economic and Creative progress in Egypt
6. To achieve sustained progress
7. To play an active, constructive and responsible regional and global role

None of these seven challenges is easy, and what makes the task all the more difficult is that there is an eighth ominous threat. Change in Egypt is not in the interest of all people, especially the Israelis, and a new government may have to face an external threat either directly or in the form of sabotage.

It is to the great credit of the men and women of Tunisia that they took the popular initiative, demanding fundamental reforms. I hope to see a growing wave of popular revolt against oppression wherever it exists. A worldwide revolt of people demanding to reclaim their freedom, their dignity and their future, and I hope we help to make it happen.


Assalamu `alaykum,

Mazen Mokhtar


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Mazen Mokhtar is my dearest, most beloved brother for the sake of Allah. Alhamduilillah, I am so honored to have his words on the Voice of the Ummah blog.