Egyptians will eventually have to address the complicated role
that religion will play in the “new” Egypt, but for now the
issue seems to have been put on hold. Although religious
tolerance (at the societal level) and democracy were major
revolutionary themes, officially dealing with the relationship
between the state and religion was not. Given the absence of
both Muslim Brotherhood radicalism and major reforms to the
religious articles of the constitution the status quo will
likely continue, at least in the short-term. Even in the longer-
term, I do not believe that the revolution will result in a
rapid secularization like the one experienced by Turkey under
Ataturk, or cause Egypt to fall prey to Islamic factions. Since
its founding in 1928 the Muslim Brotherhood has been a major
opposition group within Egypt, despite being officially banned
since 1954 following an accusation that the group organized an
assassination attempt on President Gamal Abd al-Nasser. Early
on, the Brotherhood and the government exch