Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood: Its Agenda Now that Hosni Mubarak has resigned the Egyptian presidency, analysts and observers will be taking a closer look at the hitherto banned Muslim Brotherhood and seeking to understand its political agenda. Cecily Hilleary | Washington February 11, 2011 Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS Senior members of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Morsi, right, and Essam el-Erian hold a press conference on the latest situation in Egypt in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/ Mohammed Abou Zaid) The Society of Muslim Brothers is Egyptâs largest and most well-organized groups. Their activities are divided between social services, political advocacy and religious reform. Admired by some, feared by others, now that Hosni Mubarak has resigned the Egyptian presidency, analysts will be taking a closer look at the hitherto banned organization and seeking to define its political agenda. Sharia is a collective group of laws which governs all aspects of Muslimsâ lives, from marriage and family life to conduct in society and business. Based both on the Quran and the customs and saying of the Prophet and other early Muslims, Sharia varies by region; in some countries, it is the basis for all laws. Other countries have adapted and blended it with secular legal systems.  On its English-language [1]website, the Brotherhood states that the Western concept of âsecular liberal democracyâ is undemocratic, because it rejects religion in public life. In its published [2]guidelines, the Brotherhood states goals which include spreading Islamic teachings, bring Islamic sects closer together, improve the lives of the poor and otherwise marginalized; and secure the Islamic state against foreign rule and internal enemies. Nathan J. Brown Nathan J. Brown is a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and Director of its Institute for Middle East Studies. He has written extensively about the Muslim Brotherhood. He says that since the groupâs founding more than 70 years ago, it has been committed to seeing Sharia implemented in Egypt. However, their ideas about Sharia have evolved over time: The group has clearly come to terms with political rightsâthat is, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and free and fair elections--however, the Brothers have not yet come to terms with what Brown calls âsocial rightsââor freedom of expression in the "artistic sphere." âWhen it comes to women and non-Muslims, they are increasingly comfortable with the idea of citizenship,â Brown said. âIf you are a member of the Egyptian community, youâre a full memberâwith one very important exception, perhaps a symbolic one, but one that is important in Egyptian debate, and that is the position of head of state; the Brotherhood still says that if you want their support to become a head of state, you have to be a Muslim male. Egyptian Muslim woman show solidarity logos of Islam and Christianity during a march Wednesday Jan. 5, 2010 AP What about that other controversial and confusing concept of Islamâjihad? Muslims have alternately used the word to describe the struggle for spiritual enlightenment or perfection--or a holy war against enemies of Islam.  Thereâs no doubt, says Brown, that the Brotherhood has historically talked about jihad and used military metaphors to present itselfâfor example, the movementâs official symbol consists of two swords crossed under the image of the Holy Quran. Exactly what jihad means, Brown said, is not clear.  âIs it supposed to be peaceful?â Brown asked. âWhen is it okay to use force? Who has the authority to use force? Is this something that individual Muslims or a group has the right to do? All those are places where thereâs considerable ambiguity.â Brown says the Brotherhood believes that the best path to change in a Muslim society is that of peaceful change and talk, not force. But the group also believes that jihad is legimate in cases of foreign occupation. Thus, he says, the stronger the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the worse for Israel. âThat said,â Brown said, âI think that anybody who has studied the Brotherhood in recent years knows that the Brotherhood is not in a position to rule Egypt by itself, and it doesnât even seem interested in making a move in that direction. What the Brotherhood wants to do is participate in politics and to have a voice.â [3]Rashid Khalidi is Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University in New York. He's also the author of Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East. He believes the West has allowed fear and misunderstanding of Islamic movements like the Muslim Brotherhood to justify their support of repressive regimes. âWe are sleeping in the bed that decades of mistaken policy have made for us,â he said. âWe were sold a bill of goods by Arab regimes which told Americans and the world that they were the only bulwark between their countries and unrestrained fanatical Islam, that if you did not support dictatorship, repression and systematic violation of human rights, you'd have bearded fundamentalists raving from the top of every minaret in every one of these countries--and taking over.â Khalidi points out that regardless of how one feels about the Muslim Brotherhood, the group has a valid role in Egyptian history and society. He says it would be arrogant for any outside government to work to keep the Brotherhood out of power in Egypt--if in fact they should ever make it that far. âThe last thing that the Egyptians would tolerate would be any form of foreign interference.â One is either in favor of democracy and allowing people to make choices or not,â Kahlidi added. âWhether they are wise ones is another matter.â References 1. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/ 2. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=22687 3. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/faculty/directory/khalidi.html .