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a view of the university (credit: Karima Eurica)

Below is a translation of Monem’s post “Alexandria University Detour” originally published on November 1, 2006 in his blog Ana Ikhwan: [Translated by Nora Younis- Egypt]

I had always defended the University of Alexandria because I am Alexandrian and graduate of this old university. I was also active with its Muslim Brotherhood (MB) student group. Yet I am no longer able to play this role, I can no longer bear what MB student leaders are doing. Their position from student union elections this year provoked me and their passiveness is driving me mad.

It is the first time MB students of Alexandria refrain from participating in the student elections under claims of hopelessness and that every year they bear beatings and clashes yet without any benefits. For this they decided to give up their rights to participate in student elections…. We are teaching students to be passive. Maybe some people won’t understand what I will say but this is the reality.

We are helping making people’s minds more shallow, because we always care for external issues and ignore our internal ones, we demonstrated for Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine – which is of course needed - but we did not demonstrate for our own freedom. We demanded freedom of others and forgot our own freedom. We held many long campaigns to promote veil and prayers which is needed, but we never held similar campaigns for freedom although freedom is now an obligation and should be implemented before Islamic Sharia’a because without it there will be neither Sharia’a nor belief.

People now don’t need someone to talk to them about prayers or veil. People are now committed (conservative) and the moral commitment and Islamic practice scale is rising, this is of course due to our efforts, but now we need to change our discourse. We need to teach people to call for freedom and live as free people. It is true we led women in Helwan University to wear the veil, but the university denied them access and admission. If I taught the woman to wear a veil, I should teach her to claim her right in entering the university with the veil.

We have to call for freedom and active participation whatever happens, however long it may take, however few the results may temporarily be. Freedom is more important than bulk meal boxes you distributed during the month of Ramadan. Advocating freedom is more important than sticking posters advocating prayers on the walls.

Please, freedom is the ultimate priority.