Can the death of admiral Raafat destroy what has been established?

In an article published in Al Ahram Al Masaei on 9/8/2010, Mr. Abel Latif Menawi, head of Egypt News Centre, said:

"After the death of Admiral Ahmad Raafat, I think the leadership and members of Al Jamaa Al Islamyia are worried that the state may change its method in dealing with them. They are afraid what has been established may be destroyed. However, I believe, as I said yesterday, that what admiral Raafat was doing with Al Jamaa Al Islamyia is a state's policy that I hope it will last."

"The state of panic that the group lives is expected for they are right to worry about a potential change of policies. But I repeat this was not the attitude of an individual. It is the method the government adopts to deal with Islamic groups as part of the society that should participate in building our nation", he added.

One cannot ignore the big writer's care about the Non-Violence Initiative and his concern to see it proceeds even after the departure of its major advocate.

Mr. Menawi has lived part of the story of the Initiative and he wrote about it in "Al Sharq Al Awsat" newspaper, when he was working there.

Every one in Al Jamaa Al Islamyia is deeply sad for losing the admiral. Nevertheless, his efforts to reconcile between the state and the group, which was hard for many years, will not be in vain. This is for a number of reasons among them is what Mr. Menawi mentioned when he said:

"I believe, as I said yesterday, this was not the attitude of an individual. It is a state's policy that I hope it will last."

Today, we are stressing that admiral Ahmad Raafat was working according to an established policy that has its planners, sponsors and executers. This policy is built on mutual trust, conviction and faith.

We add to the commitment that the Egyptian Interior Minister, Habib Al Adly, and his assistants were keen abide by other causes that will keep things as they are.

First: admiral Raafat's colleagues and students, who worked silently with him to let the Initiative see the light, are still working.

Second: Al Jamaa Al Islamyia believes that the Initiative was the right thing to do and that armed confrontations were not correct. The Initiative depends on a careful study of religious proofs and a real view of the surrounding circumstances.

When we launched the Initiative and adhered to it, we were responding to Allah's Sharia. Our target was not to gain worldly profits or to satisfy certain persons that when they die or leave their chairs we will change our convictions. This will never be for this contradicts with religion and logic.

Al Jamaa Al Islamyia, leaders and individuals, sees the Initiative as a trade with Allah that is prospering every day according to the Heavenly law "Whoso bringeth a good deed will receive tenfold the like".

Third: the members of Al Jamaa Al Islamyia have proved, throughout the past years, that they believe in and are committed to their new ideology. It was not just a "way out" as some like to propagate. But it is an internal, not an outside, conviction that stems from our understanding of Islam. We have a pledge on ourselves and we have proved it along time.

Whoever reads the Jamaa's comments on the admiral's death news, will realize the great love and appreciation they have for him. These are true words that came out after he left his position and this word which proves they are not seeking a personal interest but they are only expressing their feelings.

Fourth: the Initiative has made great strides in terms of concrete implementation on the ground and in terms of theorizing. The official website of Al Jamaa Al Islamyia has a great share in this by introducing a new generation of thinkers that didn't have the opportunity to express themselves.

Exchanging ideas with others supported our new ideology. Add to this the challenges that the Islamic Thought receives from secularist and westernized groups in the Egyptian society that aim to efface the Islamic identity of Egypt.

Finally: the successful journey that we started years ago will continue. Every one will add to that success in order to satisfy Allah and to achieve the good for our religion and our country.

We have no intention to repeat the bloody conflict between the state and the group where the two sides lost a lot and only enemies of Islam got benefited.

We pray to Allah to be merciful to Admiral Ahmad Raafat and reward him for his good deeds. And we pray to Him to make it easy for his successors to do what He pleases.

Amin

Al Jamaa Al Islamyia of Egypt

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