Egyptian Islamic Scholar Gamal Al-Bana: The Clerics with Long Thick Beards Who Appear on TV Would Like to Wake Up to Find that the US and Europe Had Drowned; Women Should Be Allowed to Lead Men in Prayer

The following excerpts are from an interview with Egyptian Islamic scholar Gamal Al-Bana, which aired on Al-Mihwar TV on March 23-30, 2010.

 

Interviewer: What is your problem with President Mubarak’s regime?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: Since 1952 and to this day, we have been ruled by a military regime, in which there is no room for liberties. Consequently, all the institutions have fallen apart, all values have dissipated, and people have become full of fear. The oppression in Abd Al-Nasser’s prisons affects Egyptians to this day.
 

[...]
 

Interviewer: What do you think of the Egyptian public today?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: It is lost, confused, powerless, and frustrated.
 

Interviewer: What is the reason for this?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: The mistakes that have been made since 1952 to this day can topple mountains.
 

[...]
 

I believe that European civilization is among the greatest of civilizations, and that it represents a leap for mankind. We must learn from it and interact with it. Rejecting this civilization is completely useless, because this civilization could finish us off.
 

Interviewer: Do you think that we reject it?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: Some of us reject it completely. All those people with long thick beards who appear on all the TV channels would like to wake up one morning to find that the US and Europe had drowned or been destroyed.
 

[...]
 

Interviewer: We don’t understand the religion of Islam properly?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: Of course not. Our interpretation of our religion is Salafi. Al-Azhar and the religious institution...
 

Interviewer: How do you view their role?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: They impose the Salafi beliefs on Islam and on the people. They impose Islamic notions that were formulated a thousand years ago. They want us to live according to principles from a thousand years ago. This is Islam, as far as they are concerned, but in fact, it runs counter to Islam.
 

[...]
 

Interviewer: Should a Muslim apostate, who leaves Islam for Christianity or Judaism, be killed?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: He should not be killed. Nothing should be done to him. He is completely free to believe in religion or not, as he sees fit.
 

Interviewer: On what grounds do you say this?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: On the basis of the verse: “There is no coercion in religion.”
 

[.....]
 

Interviewer: Is a woman permitted to lead men in prayer?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: Absolutely.
 

Interviewer: Even if she is not wearing a hijab?
 

Gamal Al-Bana: Wearing the hijab is a different issue. Saying that women cannot lead prayers is not in accordance with the rulings of Islam. According to Islam, the prayers should be led by whoever is most well-versed in the Koran.