From the Grave, a Furious Medieval Scholar Confronts Egypt's Top Imam Over Gaza Silence and Regime Complicity

 English Translation

From the Grave, a Furious Medieval Scholar Confronts Egypt's Top Imam Over Gaza Silence and Regime Complicity"

A furious Imam Al-Izz ibn Abdul-Salam heads to Al-Azhar to meet Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in his office.

He screams in his face: "How can you sit here in air-conditioned rooms while Gaza is being annihilated—killed, burned, and destroyed—its children dying of hunger and thirst? How can you enjoy your palace while men of Islam suffer injustice, oppression, and death in Sisi's prisons for years?

Do you not see the country being plundered and robbed while you are in a deep slumber? Do you watch as mosques are demolished and religion is insulted, while you sit like a statue, without a flicker of an eyelid or raising a finger?"

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Analysis & Explanation for the Foreign Reader

This text is a searing piece of religious and political satire that uses a powerful historical figure to deliver a devastating critique against Egypt's contemporary religious and political establishment. Its power comes from the moral authority of the past being used to shame the perceived silence of the present.

1. The Satirical Premise: A Ghost of Morality Returns

The core mechanism is the anachronistic appearance of Imam Al-Izz ibn Abdul-Salam (1181-1262), a legendary Islamic scholar from the Mamluk era. He was renowned for his uncompromising integrity and for fearlessly confronting rulers, even the Sultan, to demand justice. He was known as the "Sultan of the Scholars." By having this paragon of moral courage return to confront the current Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb, the writer creates the ultimate judgment scene. It suggests that the modern institution of Al-Azhar, under El-Tayeb, has betrayed the legacy of its greatest heroes.

2. Deconstructing the Satirical Critique:

· The Contrast: "Air-Conditioned Rooms" vs. "Gaza's Annihilation": The opening contrast is deliberately stark. It accuses El-Tayeb of living a life of comfort and privilege while remaining passive in the face of a horrific humanitarian catastrophe next door. This is a direct critique of Al-Azhar's perceived cautious, state-aligned stance on the war in Gaza, which many see as failing to meet the moral imperative to condemn the violence and suffering unequivocally.

· "Sisi's Prisons for Years": This moves the critique from foreign policy to domestic repression. It references the tens of thousands of political prisoners, many of them Islamists but also secular activists, who have been incarcerated since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi came to power in 2013. The satire accuses El-Tayeb of being complicit through his silence, enjoying his official position while others rot in jails for their beliefs.

· "The Country Being Plundered and Robbed": This is a broad accusation of systemic corruption and economic mismanagement, a common public grievance in Egypt. The line implies that the Grand Imam is either oblivious or indifferent to the looting of national resources.

· "You Sit Like a Statue": This is the most powerful image. It reduces the Grand Imam, a figure who is supposed to be a moral guide for hundreds of millions, to an inert, decorative object. A "statue" does not speak, act, or feel. This encapsulates the core accusation: that Al-Azhar has been neutered, transformed from an independent moral authority into a silent pillar of the regime, legitimizing its actions through its quietude.

3. Context and Deeper Meaning

This satire speaks to a profound crisis of religious authority in the modern Arab world. Al-Azhar is one of the oldest and most respected centers of Islamic learning in the world. However, under the current Egyptian government, it is widely perceived as having been brought under strict state control.

· The Role of Religious Institutions: The piece debates the very purpose of a religious establishment. Should it be a comfortable arm of the state, or should it be an independent voice for justice, even—and especially—when it challenges political power?

· A Call for Conscience: The text is not just an attack; it is a lament and a call to action. It invokes the spirit of Ibn Abdul-Salam to remind Muslims of what true, courageous religious leadership looks like.

· The Voice of the People: By channeling this critique through a historical figure, the writer gives voice to the widespread anger and disappointment that many Egyptians and Muslims feel towards their religious leadership's perceived failure to stand up for the oppressed, both in Palestine and at home.

For the international reader, this text is a poignant example of how satire can fuse history, religion, and politics to create a powerful moral statement. It uses the past not for nostalgia, but as a weapon to critique the failings of the present.