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In Egypt, a Conservative Appeal Transcends Religion

(New York Times) David D. Kirkpatrick - In the first round of parliamentary elections in Egypt, the Al Nour party of the Salafis outpaced the liberals to emerge as the principal rival - or potential partner - of the Muslim Brotherhood, the mainstream Islamist group whose party won 40% of the vote and is positioned to lead Parliament. A closer examination of the Salafi campaigns suggests their appeal may have as much to do with anger at the Egyptian elite as with a specific religious agenda. The Salafis are a loose coalition of sheiks, not an organized party with a coherent platform, and Salafi candidates all campaign to apply Islamic law as the Prophet Muhammad did, but they also differ considerably over what that means. The Salafis have thrived off the gap between most Egyptians and the elite - including the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood - both in lifestyle and outlook, said Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center in Qatar. Until the uprising against Mubarak, the Salafis shunned politics, so the Mubarak government allowed them broad latitude to operate out of mosques as an alternative to the more political Brotherhood, which it banned. But the Salafis' appeal, centered in the poor communities, is also strikingly different from that of the Brotherhood, which is dominated by middle-class professionals and can sound condescending.
2011-12-12 00:00:00
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