Jokes mask Egyptian fear of Islamist poll gains
By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
Cairo (dpa) – A liberal Egyptian gets a magic lamp and rubs it. When a genie appears, the man asks him to make all the Islamists vanish. The genie frowns and says: “Why? What did we do to you?”
This is one of a dozen jokes Egyptians have been exchanging over the past days, as estimates show that the Islamists are heading for winning around 60 per cent of the seats of the new parliament.
The Islamists' surge at the ballot box has triggered nationwide debate about potential extremism in post-revolutionary Egypt. Famed for a legendary sense of humour, Egyptians spice up their discussion with jokes, the overtones of which are unmistakable.
“A Salafist man hails a taxi. He then orders the driver to switch off the radio, saying: 'There were no radios at the Prophet Mohamed's time.' Few minutes later, he asks the driver to put off his cigarette 'because there were no cigarettes at the prophet's time.'
"The driver gets angry. He stops the car and kicks the man out, saying: 'There were no taxis during the prophet's time. You wait for a camel here!”
In the run-up of the elections, the Salafists – who follow a strict interpretation of Islam that resembles the Saudi Arabian school of thought – stirred controversy by covering statues and replacing the pictures of their female candidates on campaigning posters with either a flower or the candidate's husband name and picture.
A Salafist leader, Abdel Moneim al-Shahat, provoked an outcry this week when he said that novels of Egyptian Nobel laureate Naguib Mafouz promoted "prostitution and atheism" and that democracy was "blasphemy."
Two Islamist groups have already dominated the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament. The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party is in the lead, followed by the ultra-conservative Salafist Al-Nour, while the liberal alliance, The Egyptian Bloc, has trailed third.
Political jokes are also popular with Egyptian social networking websites, which played a key role in drumming up support for protests against the regime of former president Hosny Mubarak.
“They (Islamists) plan a new Harry Potter series on torment in the grave,” goes one joke, referring to Muslims' belief that the dead are brought to the book for their deeds in graves.
"Red Riding Hood becomes The Girl in the Black Niqab (full-face veil)," according to other anti-Islamist humourists.
Banned and oppressed under Mubarak, the Islamists are competing in the elections for the first time after having their political parties officially recognized following the Egyptian revolution.
Making fun of authorities has been an integral part of Egyptian daily life for ages. Jokes are often exchanged on public transport, in cafes, by email and short text messages.
“The joke is a powerful weapon,” celebrated Egyptian cartoonist Mustafa Hussein told dpa. “Jokes are usually used by one side to try to undermine authority or power of another. Even in wars, jokes and caricatures are employed to demoralize the enemy," he argued.
"In Egypt's case, this is normal due to the diversity of the post-revolutionary society. Even within the Islamists, there are moderates and radicals,” Hussein said. “Many people in Egypt are worried about religious dictatorship. While the liberals hold seminars to voice their fears, ordinary people fight back the rise in Islamism with jokes.”
Some doctored photos were posted on online forums. One picture shows signs on bathrooms changed into a woman wearing a full-face veil, and a man with a long beard.
“Egyptians are known for turning almost everything into witty jokes,” Duha Sami, a 40-year-old who works for a marketing company, said. “I remember jokes that are decades old now, and they really make historical sense. They reflect the political and economic state of the country at that time.”
During the 18-day revolt that ousted Mubarak earlier this year, the iconic Tahrir Square was filled with protesters holding satirical placards. One read: “Leave. My hand is hurting me!"
Another showed a computer message reading: "Cannot install freedom. Please remove Mubarak and try again!"
But the latest joke from Egypt comes ahead of Christmas: “In order to move freely this year, Santa Claus will be disguised, wearing a knee-length white robe, wide trousers and a makeshift turban over his head.”
Republished here and here Also in Spanish
Cairo (dpa) – A liberal Egyptian gets a magic lamp and rubs it. When a genie appears, the man asks him to make all the Islamists vanish. The genie frowns and says: “Why? What did we do to you?”
This is one of a dozen jokes Egyptians have been exchanging over the past days, as estimates show that the Islamists are heading for winning around 60 per cent of the seats of the new parliament.
The Islamists' surge at the ballot box has triggered nationwide debate about potential extremism in post-revolutionary Egypt. Famed for a legendary sense of humour, Egyptians spice up their discussion with jokes, the overtones of which are unmistakable.
“A Salafist man hails a taxi. He then orders the driver to switch off the radio, saying: 'There were no radios at the Prophet Mohamed's time.' Few minutes later, he asks the driver to put off his cigarette 'because there were no cigarettes at the prophet's time.'
"The driver gets angry. He stops the car and kicks the man out, saying: 'There were no taxis during the prophet's time. You wait for a camel here!”
In the run-up of the elections, the Salafists – who follow a strict interpretation of Islam that resembles the Saudi Arabian school of thought – stirred controversy by covering statues and replacing the pictures of their female candidates on campaigning posters with either a flower or the candidate's husband name and picture.
A Salafist leader, Abdel Moneim al-Shahat, provoked an outcry this week when he said that novels of Egyptian Nobel laureate Naguib Mafouz promoted "prostitution and atheism" and that democracy was "blasphemy."
Two Islamist groups have already dominated the first round of voting for the lower house of parliament. The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party is in the lead, followed by the ultra-conservative Salafist Al-Nour, while the liberal alliance, The Egyptian Bloc, has trailed third.
Political jokes are also popular with Egyptian social networking websites, which played a key role in drumming up support for protests against the regime of former president Hosny Mubarak.
“They (Islamists) plan a new Harry Potter series on torment in the grave,” goes one joke, referring to Muslims' belief that the dead are brought to the book for their deeds in graves.
"Red Riding Hood becomes The Girl in the Black Niqab (full-face veil)," according to other anti-Islamist humourists.
Banned and oppressed under Mubarak, the Islamists are competing in the elections for the first time after having their political parties officially recognized following the Egyptian revolution.
Making fun of authorities has been an integral part of Egyptian daily life for ages. Jokes are often exchanged on public transport, in cafes, by email and short text messages.
“The joke is a powerful weapon,” celebrated Egyptian cartoonist Mustafa Hussein told dpa. “Jokes are usually used by one side to try to undermine authority or power of another. Even in wars, jokes and caricatures are employed to demoralize the enemy," he argued.
"In Egypt's case, this is normal due to the diversity of the post-revolutionary society. Even within the Islamists, there are moderates and radicals,” Hussein said. “Many people in Egypt are worried about religious dictatorship. While the liberals hold seminars to voice their fears, ordinary people fight back the rise in Islamism with jokes.”
Some doctored photos were posted on online forums. One picture shows signs on bathrooms changed into a woman wearing a full-face veil, and a man with a long beard.
“Egyptians are known for turning almost everything into witty jokes,” Duha Sami, a 40-year-old who works for a marketing company, said. “I remember jokes that are decades old now, and they really make historical sense. They reflect the political and economic state of the country at that time.”
During the 18-day revolt that ousted Mubarak earlier this year, the iconic Tahrir Square was filled with protesters holding satirical placards. One read: “Leave. My hand is hurting me!"
Another showed a computer message reading: "Cannot install freedom. Please remove Mubarak and try again!"
But the latest joke from Egypt comes ahead of Christmas: “In order to move freely this year, Santa Claus will be disguised, wearing a knee-length white robe, wide trousers and a makeshift turban over his head.”
Republished here and here Also in Spanish
