Minister of Defense General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi becoming president would at first benefit Egypt, but staying in his position as army chief would be much better for Egypt on the long run, author Youssef Zeidan said Monday in the TV show El-Hadath el-Masry.
Leading both the presidency and Armed Forces would only be compatible on the short term, Zeidan explained talk show host Mahmoud el-Warwary.
The author of the award winning novel “Azazeel” also talked about the role of takfiri fatwas (Islamic rulings,) that accuse other Muslims of apostasy, in society. He added that “these are not considered fatwas because takfiri societies are a mere joke.”
As conflicts between Arab countries exhausted the Arab national identity, Zeidan sees a role for Arab intellectuals to guide the people and be an example. He argued that the common cultural heritage of the Arab world is inspired by its language.
Zeidan further said that people are worn away by false religious speeches that are used to achieve political gains of the ones who cast those speeches. He denounced the expression “corruption of the elites,” as he perceives that being corrupt would exclude one from being categorized as “elite.”
Zeidan also talked about his book “Azazeel” that won the Banipal award for best translation from Arabic into English. The novel, translated by Jonathan Right, is considered a proof that Arabic literature can compete with international literature.
