The Brotherhood vs Beyonce

Posted By Marc Lynch Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 2:08 AM Share

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has been struggling for some time over how to respond to escalating regime repression, arrests of its most moderate leaders and local organizers, constitutional changes expressly aimed at limiting its political participation, a frenzy over the alleged resignation of its Supreme Guide, and media campaigns aimed at tarnishing its image at home and abroad. With all that, did it really need to take on... Beyonce?

The story, according to Lebanon's al-Akhbar, is that Jay-Z's Destiny recently announced a date in an Egyptian resort on November 6. Brotherhood Parliamentarian Hamdi Hassan then challenged the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister to defend why she was given a permit to perform in Egypt.

Mobilizing outrage against performances by pop tarts is a time-honored Islamist political move, as I used to chronicle regularly back at the old Abu Aardvark site under the title of the "Nancy Ajram-Haifa Wehbi culture wars". It's hardly a surprise that a concert by a sexy American woman makes for an attractive target for whipping up some controversy.

But still... Beyonce? No doubt they intended to distract attention from their recent internal problems. But it's one thing to grumble about Shakira or Haifa Wehbi. It's quite another to take on Hova's global hegemony. Let's see how smart they feel when Kanye West lands in Cairo...

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MSBAHARI

5:55 PM ET

October 26, 2009

share?

how can I share this on facebook?
sharing in the old side was much easier

JOHNSONIAN

8:41 PM ET

October 26, 2009

Empire State of Mind

This could be epic...

ASANTE

4:32 AM ET

October 27, 2009

haha..

Rightly so.. why does she really have to perform in Egypt?
I see no substantial benefit to Egyptians. There must be
local artists who can do a great job entertaining.

RAYED878

6:17 AM ET

October 28, 2009

She wants to perform in Egypt

She wants to perform in Egypt because she is a human who "wants to perform in Egypt".

ALAM

10:30 AM ET

October 27, 2009

lol pathetic

I've just got to say...the article is another pathetic piece of propaganda against popular egyptian opinion/views(or as Abu likes to call it the brotherhood,lol.)...try to remember in a democracy the majority rule...and if they don't want her there then tough...besides i cant help but think if this is a publicity stunt(controvesy)...

JLWATER

2:35 PM ET

October 27, 2009

What?

That's a pretty limited view of democracy. Even if the majority doesn't want anything to do with Beyonce they shouldn't impose their will on Egyptians who do.

DAVID ACAI

4:16 PM ET

October 27, 2009

No Love for Beyonce

She just can't get any love on here world touring. Probably time to give up on enlightening other countries to pop music and stay home. I know Houston would love to have her perform!

JANBEKSTER

6:08 PM ET

October 27, 2009

Not Fun.

The Muslim Brotherhood, have always been killjoys. Mind you, assuming of course, Beyonce is fun !!!.

khairi janbek.paris/france

BURBERRYWOMAN

8:44 PM ET

October 27, 2009

There is a reason for this.

The Scholar A.B. Johnson has written an interesting short article about this on his blog NotTheology.com

He says:
"Part of what is fueling conflict within the Middle East is competing visions of what a Muslim society or culture should be, and conflicting interpretations of what Islam demands."

He adds that:
"Fundamentalist movements as a whole are rebelling against “secular” modernity. There are regressive campaigns within fundamentalism which overstate the traditional subservient roles of women. This is because one of the hallmarks of “secular” modernity has been women’s emancipation... In the eyes of fundamentalist groups, the modern female pop star embodies all that is wrong with the world."

This explains why the Brotherhood wants to keep Beyonce out of Egypt.

http://nottheology.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/the-muslim-brotherhood-denounce-beyonce/

JANBEKSTER

11:31 PM ET

October 27, 2009

On Various Occasions....

One heard the argument in Arab and Islmamic countries' parliaments, from one religious group or another, or, from the perspective of defending local culture and traditions, the condemnations of allowing the performance of female artists, under the pretext that their attire is most likely to offend local sensibilities. It happens all the time.

As for the question of emancipation of women, I think the Muslim Brotherthood specifically, believes that the emancipation of women is best guaranteed under Islam, and regards non-Mulsim women as being exploited. Therefore, the academic cited here, is of course writing from a western perspective and reasoning.

Also, is the assumption here, that Beyonce is actually a paragon of women's emancipation?.

khairi janbek.paris/france

BURBERRYWOMAN

2:15 PM ET

October 28, 2009

Reply to Janbekster

"Also, is the assumption here, that Beyonce is actually a paragon of women's emancipation?"

I believe the argument is that female "pop stars" are an archetype of secular modernity, because of what they can get away with since the time of women's emancipation. And the scholar cites fundamentalism of all religions and simply includes Islam in his generalizing on this topic.

I personally am not largely educated in Islam, but your argument of perspectives got me thinking. The Brotherhood's take on women's emancipation, as you described it, appears to be from a MALE perspective. After all, its a perspective you associate with a BROTHERHOOD. You explained that the Brotherhood wants to limit women to "local sensibilities." I would call men controlling women exploitation. Therefore, you make the Muslim Brotherhood sound extremely exploitative.

JANBEKSTER

4:19 PM ET

October 28, 2009

A Clarification Ms. Burberry Woman.

One is neither an Islamist nor a follower of the Brotherhood philosophy, and I am aware that your good self did not imply anything to that effect, therefore, I feel it is up to them to argue their case, which they often do. However, I was merely stating their attitude towards the emnancipation of women, which is incidentally an identical attitude to what actually the "Muslim Sisterhood" holds; a paralell organisation to the "Brotherhood". Consequently, the action in the Egyptian Parliament is only normal in my books at least, whether it will be successful or not is another matter.

In any case, none of the Arab countries are secular, since they all have a state religion except Syria, but there also, the constitution declares that the president should be a Muslim. Therefore, it is not really surprising to have arguments away from what secular traditions stand for. Moreover, the question of offended sensibilities, is not limited to Islamists ot "Brotherhood/Sisterhood" objections, but also more often than not, to many traditionalist and conventionalist/non-religious Arab female as well as male politicians.

khairi janbek.paris/france