Brothers in the parliament

By Naguib Mahfouz

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I see much concern over the success of political Islam groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, in the recent elections. This concern is exaggerated. It is better to have the religiously minded in parliament than underground. Exclusion breeds fanaticism, whereas inclusion encourages give and take. Once in parliament, political Islamists will have to bring their policies into the public domain. And their views would be subject to debate and assessment. It is good for the religiously minded to become accustomed to the political game. And it's good for the public to know what the Islamists are about.

The religious trend, in my opinion, should be allowed to have its own party. We need to keep everyone in the political arena. We need to keep everyone on the same page. We mustn't worry over the success of groups representing political Islam. What is worrying is the dismal performance of the secular opposition. I would have liked that everyone, from the far-right to the far-left, find a place in parliament. The Wafd and the leftist Tagammu have underperformed in these elections. As for the Islamists, let's listen to what they have to say.

Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.