March 11, 2013
Special Dispatch No. 5236

Salafi And Secular Intellectuals Exchange Insults And Nearly Come To Blows On Egyptian TV

Following are excerpts from a TV debate between Egyptian cleric Mahmoud Shaaban and Egyptian journalist Islam Al-Buheiri, which aired on Al-Kahera Wal-Nas TV on March 5 and 6, 2013.

Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV.

Moderator: "If a woman abides by all the laws of the shari’a, in terms of the dress code, conduct, and everything – would you accept her as president of the country?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "No."

Moderator: "Why not?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "Because the Prophet said: 'A nation headed by a woman will never succeed.' The Prophet Muhammad warned against it. We abide by the texts of the shari’a.

"Nor will I accept a Christian president for Egypt."

[…]

Moderator: "Do you demand to impose the jizya poll tax on Christian Egyptians?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "I demand the implementation of the shari’a."

Moderator: "I was asking specifically about the jizya…"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "If Christians knew what the jizya means, they would demand it themselves."

Moderator: "What is the meaning of the jizya?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "If the shari’a were implemented as a whole, the Christians would be the happiest of all.

[…]

"Brother, you should learn something. Shaving your beard diminishes your masculinity, according to Islam."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Of course, the entire problem boils down to a little bit of hair."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "You’d better fear Allah. All four imams agreed on this."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Are you sure about that?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "You know nothing about the shari’a. You want the Islam of America and Europe."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Yes, Islam exists in America and in Europe."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "You want the Islam that Europe and America want. An Islam with no bite…"

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Actually, Islam with no beards…"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "What you want is an Islam that prostrates itself before the Zio-Western, Anglo-Torah ideology, my friend."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "I’m not your friend."

[…]

Mahmoud Shaaban: "Brother, have some fear of Allah. Stop leading people astray."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Is it me who is leading them astray?! You haven’t said one word of truth so far."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "You don’t know what truth means."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "You said Christians are infidels. Where did you get this from?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "It’s in the Koran.

[…]

"Egypt is a Muslim country and will never be anything else."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "It is Muslim despite you, not because of you. You are scaring Islam away from it."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "You’d better behave yourself, or I will show you the sharpness of my tongue. I’m restraining myself as much as I can."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Do you want to have a duel? You think I don’t have a tongue myself?"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "You deserve it. You don’t stand a chance against me."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "When we’re off the air, I will teach you a lesson."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "By Allah, behave yourself. I will give you a taste of my shoe."

Shaaban bends to remove his shoe

Islam Al-Buheiri: "Oh yeah? I will wipe the floor with you."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "I will give you a taste of my shoe."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "This is the moral level you stoop to. I’m glad you’re doing this for everyone to see."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "Behave yourself!"

Islam Al-Buheiri: "I will teach you and all you people how to behave! Grabbing your shoe? Well done, I’m very pleased."

Moderator tries to restrain Mahmoud Shaaban and calm him down

Moderator: "I implore you… Please…"

Mahmoud Shaaban: "Don’t you see what he’s doing? Ask me a question, and I will answer."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "I got from him everything I needed. I am very pleased."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "I’ve said nothing but the truth, and I will not apologize for it."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "You’re done for, Sheik Mahmoud."

Mahmoud Shaaban: "Behave yourself. I will not keep silent."

Islam Al-Buheiri: "When we’re off the air, I’ll show you my own shoe. I don’t want people to see this. I promise you that once we’re off the air, I’ll teach you a new kind of defeat."

[…]


Please recycle
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization providing translations of the Middle East media and original analysis and research on developments in the region. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.
MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.

The Middle East Media Research Institute
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: [202] 955-9070 Fax: [202] 955-9077 E-Mail: [email protected]
Search previous MEMRI publications at our website: www.memri.org