Egypt Feature: Protesting Like An Egyptian

Another Friday...another protest. However on this occasion, it is a day of celebration. It’s a rare occurrence to find Egyptians gat,ering in mass numbers, waving their flags, for causes besides football, but this was a day of prayer, thanksgiving, requests, singing...and, yesm even remembering and forgiving Mubarak.

Tahrir Square in Cairo has established itself as a place people can chant, speak, ‘shout’ out their opinions. It reminds me of London Hyde Park’s Speakers’ corner, but only on a larger scale. A much larger scale, and louder, and...Egyptian!

I emphasise that last word ‘shout’ as it was only just over three weeks ago that the Egyptian public would only DREAM to speak their opinions in such a public place. Now, in true Egyptian style there was singing and chanting, a true expression of democracy at its best.

German tourists, workers in the travel industry, and students from the American and German universities dressed up as pharaohs, calling for the return of tourism to Egypt. They chanted: ‘ily’ heb masr...yigee yi zoor masr (If you love Egypt, Then come and visit Egypt)’.

This seems to have worked. On Saturday, 19 flights from the UK and Germany landed at Hurghada Airport. This weeke there will be more flights from Europe to the Red Sea. It’s an excellent time to pick up a bargain and enjoy Egypt’s most precious gift; the sun.

Trade union members, workers, unemployed, students, Egypt’s society joined the Liberation Day protest to call for further demands for their rights. Other protestors included prisoners who showed off their scars and wounds in public --- a symbol of the ‘old’ old regime.

The real surprise however was the public show of prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Yusef El Qaradawi, who was banned from leading the weekly Friday Prayers 30 years ago. The State had charged Al Qaradawi with inciting hatred towards Israel and for endorsing a ‘fitna’ (clashes) between the Muslim and Christian communities in Egypt. Now, one week after President Mubarak’s resignation, Qaradawi arrived on the Tahrir podium in grand fashion. He was escorted by organisers to the stage in Tahrir square, receiving mass cheering from the crowds who awaited his arrival to begin the Muslim Friday prayers. After leading the Friday Prayers, people started chanting, ‘Sheikh El Azhar fein...Qaradawi Aho’, meaning: Where is Sheikh El Azhar? Here he is-Qardawi.’

In Tahrir square, People chanted slogans such as "Wala hosni wala nizamo (Neither Hosni or his system)", "Allah we Akbar...Ya Ellahi El Allah (God is greater, There is no God but God)", and "El sah3b ureed tatheer il balad (The people demand the purification of the country)", and "El naharda youm El a3eed, ifrah ifrah ya shaheed (Today is a feast-day, be happy be happy, oh martyr)"

There were claims that Friday’s protest took a Muslim Brotherhood slant, as in this exchange between presenter Amr Adeeb and Dr Safwat Hegazi, an Islamic preacher. Hegazi, an organiser of Friday's event, said he was brought up among the Muslim Brotherhood and was a member until 1999.  Since then, he continued, he has maintained a moderate role in the political sphere and in the preaching of teaching Islam.

Hegazi denied that Liberation Day was led by the Muslim Brotherhood, saying it played only a "small role" amidst a "Tahrir Committee" with 11 members. Asked why Wael Ghonim, a prominent activist in the uprising, had not been allowed on the podium, Hegazi said that --- amidst four million "protestors" --- the programme was very busy and several other speakers had been unable to say a word. (When pressed, Hegazi admitted there were underlying issues between Wael Ghoneim and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Dr Mohammed El Beltagi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, announced on the Tahrir podium that there will be another gathering next Friday. However, Hegazi said this was still to be discussed by the Tahrir Committee.

A Day of Mixed Emotions

Outside of Moustapha Mahmoud’s Mosque, protestors gathered to celebrate the revolution after Friday Prayers. They read the Islamic Fatiha for martyrs --- both protesters and police --- waved the Egyptian flag, and shouted slogans of thanks and respect towards Hosni Mubarak’s role and service for Egypt in the military and during his Presidency. Some people asked for God to forgive Mubarak and have mercy on him, while others called for Mubarak to "get well soon" amidst reports that he was very unwell.

In the video, protesters call for God to have mercy on Mubarak and that the ‘true’ Egyptian is forgiving and kind.