The Political Theology of the Azhari Revolutionaries

OnIslam (Arabic) has a very interesting article on the theology of the Azhari preachers who participated in the Jan. 25th Revolution.  Some of the interesting highlights: Egyptians, whether Muslim, Christian or even Communist, were in one trench fighting the tyrant of Egypt, MHM, and as the Prophet (S) had said that the Egyptians will be in constant preparedness (ribat) until the Day of Judgment.  Here, the interpretation of the enemy was oppression, and that claims of disorder applied only to the regime, not the people, as it was the regime that was causing disorder by oppressing the people.  It was the joint efforts of all Egyptians that confronted and then defeated the disorder (fitna) whose origin was the regime’s oppression.  These Azhari revolutions were engaging in creative re-interpretation of Prophetic hadiths both to motivate people to resist the stereotype of Egyptians as passive and subservient and that standing against injustice is a moral imperative for all.