Pro-Muslim Brotherhood sheikh and cleric, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Maqsud, in an almost surreal turnabout, just appeared on Al Jazeera saying that he and the Brotherhood are staunchly against violence and/or acts of terror in Egypt, telling Brotherhood supporters in that country, “Bearing arms never leads to any good” and “We do not incite the youth to protest or engage in violence.”
The problem with all these fine statements is that, less than two months ago, Maqsud appeared on another TV program saying the exact opposite—very clearly calling on Brotherhood supporters in Egypt to engage in violence and terrorism.
In the video, which is still available, Maqsud begins by quoting the well-known hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein prophet Muhammad reportedly said that if a Muslim sees forbidden acts being committed, he should forcefully stop them, “with the hand”; if he is not capable of doing so, he should try to prevent them “with his tongue”; and if he still cannot do that, he should at least be against such acts “in his heart.”
Maqsud elaborated his point by saying that jihad must be understood in the context of capability. Because the Brotherhood and its jihadi allies are simply not capable of taking the Egyptian state head on—due to, as Maqsud bemoaned, “Egypt’s military strength and organization, advanced weaponry, and large numbers of soldiers”—all Brotherhood supporters should limit themselves only to those things they can do, namely, terrorism.
In Maqsud’s own words (around the 2-minute mark): “All that is left for us is to try to terrorize them, by burning their cars, threatening them, burning their homes, and so forth.”
And yet, as if he never uttered such plain words—on TV no less—here is Maqsud, casually talking about how he and the Brotherhood are against violence and terrorism, demonstrating, once again, just how untrustworthy their words are.
