Arab-West Report, March 28, 2011
Title: Interview with Mr. Sharīf ‘Ismat ‘Abd al-Majīd (Founder of the “Hatef Islami”) about the current situation in Egypt
Authors: Drs. Cornelis Hulsman, Arndt Emmerich and Judit Kuschnitzki

Introduction of Mr. Sharīf ‘Ismat ‘Abd al-Majīd:

In 2000 I left the hotel investment and tourism business, since I did not want to work with hotels that sold alcohol and run gambling casinos. I then established the “Hatef Islami”. Since 2000 the organization has received 2.5 million questions about anything one can imagine relating to Islam - from the Islamic and non-Islamic world.In 2006, I was approached again by a group of hotel investors, but I declined until I found out that they will set up hotels with no bars, alcohol and casinos.

A very wise friend of mine once told me “The people of Iran are not religious, but they have a very religious government. The people of Egypt are very religious, but they have a very secular government” – what we will see now is a government that is going to be Islamic.