Is the Egyptian uprising Islamic?

Because Egypt is an Islamic nation, debates are starting around the revolution in the country having a religious texture. At this moment, when I see the TV screen and follow the developments there online, religion seems to be the last thing anyone could associate the Egyptian uprising with. It is as clear a people’s movement as any.

I’m unable to understand why Islam is being dragged into the discussion at all. If anything, the voice of radical Islam has been conspicuous by its absence. In fact, a new religion has gripped the Egyptian and the Arab people — freedom from the 30 year long tyranny of a dictator. But no, we have voices trying to prove it one way or the other.

“This is an Islamic revolution,” said radical Muslim cleric Imam Adjem Choudary on CNN. “(The revolution) has all the flavours of an Islamic uprising.” Other than being Muslims and praying together, what those flavours are, I couldn’t figure out.

“Due to the quickly shifting nature of events, I’ve recorded four reasons why Egypt’s uprising isn’t an explicitly Islamic one,” wrote Haroon Moghul, executive director, The Maydan Institute, a consulting and communications project devoted to enhancing understanding between Muslims and the West. “Egypt’s ‘secular’ dictator, who didn’t meddle too far into his people’s religious life — he was no Shah, and no Ben Ali — hasn’t created a sharp cultural divide in his country (the economic one is something else altogether). So why would Egyptians need, want, or stress, an Islamic Revolution?”

I think, the issue is one of freedom, not religion and we’ll just have to wait and see how democracy shapes up in this freedom-starved region. If after getting democracy, Egypt supports radical Islam, this ‘revolution’ would end up as the greatest tragedy of this North African nation — and the world