The Brotherhood in Algeria: Terrorist interests seeking to destroy the country

Amira al-Sharif

The terrorist Brotherhood in Algeria is accustomed to the game of changing stances with situations. They only care about their despicable interests and goals. In spite of the Algerian authorities setting a number of precautionary measures due to coronavirus to protect the people from the epidemic, the humanitarian crisis has become the best evidence of the group’s terrorism.

They are attempting to use it in their favor, which can be seen from the Brotherhood and other Islamists’ dealings with the consequences of the epidemic, where Islamic leaders considered decisions to suspend group prayers as a conspiracy against Islam, and promoted that the virus is god’s punishment.

For his part, the President of the Association of Algerian Muslim Scholars, Abd al-Razzaq Qassoum, a member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars led by Yusef al-Qaradawi, indicated that his organization does not have the data that prompted the Ministry of Religious Affairs to close mosques and suspend prayers until further notice.

Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments, Youssef Belhamdi, announced the suspension of Friday prayers and the closure of mosques, as a precautionary measure aimed at preventing the epidemic and limiting its spread, but keeping the call to prayer.

He stressed the need for everyone to adhere to the necessary measures in this regard. Mufti, Shams al-Din al-Jaza’iri, said that the fatwa is incorrect, and he highlighted that he does not question the intentions of the one who made the decision about seeking to preserve people’s lives and health.

According to media reports, the former Algerian politician and parliamentarian, Khoja Al-Arqam, believes that the position rejecting the decision to suspend prayers in mosques reflects two things. The first is that some people are not convinced of the grave danger of the epidemic, as they consider the issue as a mere play that has been motivated by strategic or economic motives.

“As for the second, it refers to the lack of trust between the authority and an important segment of the Algerians, which is what mainly concerns us and requires urgency in taking everything that might redress this problem,” he added.

Al-Arqam said, “The subject of coronavirus is still vague, and its data and backgrounds are ambiguous. But if we recognize the real danger, the measures that Algeria has adopted, including the closure of mosques and the suspension of prayers, are a necessity dictated by the duty to preserve the lives of Algerians.”

He criticized the head of the Brotherhood Justice and Development Party Abdullah Jaballah over what he called the disruption of groups, stressing that closing mosques and disrupting prayers due to the spread of coronavirus needs to be patient.

Analysts say that closing mosques despite the sensitivity of the issue is a sound decision to avoid the transmission of the virus among the worshipers, saying: “Those who refuse to close mosques must realize that entering a person infected with coronavirus into a mosque will leave hundreds infected in a few minutes.”