92
CAIRO TO DAMASCUS
Those who criticize us have fed from the tables of Europe.
They want to live as Europe has taught them—to dance, to
drink, to revel, to mix the sexes openly and in public."
I asked his views on establishing the Caliphate, the complete merger of Church and State—the Moslem equivalent of
religious totalitarianism, as in Spain.
"We want an Arabian United States with a Caliphate at its
head and every Arab state subscribing wholeheartedly to the
laws of the Koran. We must return to the Koran, which
preaches the good life, which forbids us to take bribes, to
cheat, to kill one's brother. The laws of the Koran are suitable
for all men at all times to the end of the world. This is the day
and this is the time when the world needs Islam most."
I could not help making a mental note that the word
"Christian" has been similarly used and with similar fanaticism among Western exponents of authoritarianism.
"We are not eager to have a parliament of the representatives of the people," the Supreme Guide continued, "or a
cabinet of ministers, unless such representatives and ministers
are Koranic Moslems. If we do not find them, then we must
ourselves serve as the parliament. Allah and the religious councils will limit our authority so that no one has to fear dictatorship. We aim to smash modernism in government and society.
In Palestine our first duty as Moslems is to crush Zionism,
which is Jewish modernism. It is our patriotic duty. The Koran
commands it."
He was silent, and then nodded, to indicate the interview
was over. And with this Gamal and I took leave of Ikhwan's
Moorshid and Egypt's Rasputin.
"What do you think of our Moorshid?" Gamal asked.
"He is a holy man," I said.
"It is good that you have met him yourself. Now you can
write the truth." He paused. "You must also visit Fouad University with me. We are very strong there. You will find it
very interesting. But we must be careful. They do not like
journalists. ..."