The army's Monday statement represents a "prelude to the empowerment of communism and secularism," according to Jama'a al-Islamyiya Shura Council chair Essam Derbala, who accused Egypt's armed forces of "protecting secularism" in a Tuesday statement.
The army issued a communique on Monday in which it gave political powers 48 hours to respond to the demands of the people before imposing its own "roadmap." Many in Egypt have interpeted the announcement as a forewarning of a military coup d'etat.
In a statement published on the official page of the Construction and Development Party, the Jamaá al-Islamiya’s political arm, Derbala added that the army's statement disregards public will and circumvents legitimacy.
The Islamist leader used Quranic verses to support his view, quoting a verse from the An-Nahl Chapter which says: "And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it.."
Derbala added that the statement, read out on state television on Monday afternoon, betrayed a bias to political and religious minorities which empowers communism and secularism at the expense of Islamic Sharia.
He also claimed it violates Article 219 of the constitution, quoting the Prophet Mohamed: "There is no obedience to any human being if that means disobedience to the Creator.”
Derbala added that it is no longer acceptable for the army to take precedence over both the people and Sharia in post-revolutionary Egypt, pointing to Turkey as an example of a government that abandoned the model due to its shortcomings.
"Since we are keen on the interest of the armed forces, both leadership and soldiers, which we highly respect, we hope it [the army] will review its position in order to protect the interests of the nation."
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
