#Q&A_22 with Egyptian tweeter and poet Marwa Maamoun

Marwa Maamoun is an Egyptian writer and poet, she tweets under the name “m7rusa”, a term used as another name for Egypt. In 2008 she started a blog where she posts poems that are mostly nationalist and political.

1. A word Arabs should stop using

The conspiracy against Islam

2. Nominate a female president in an Arab country

Ghada Shahbandar (Egyptian rights activist and script writer)

3. Which Arab personality would you bring back to life today? And why?

May Ziade so that I can befriend her and save her life

4. If you could issue a fatwa, what would it be?

I would cancel Dar al Iftaa (the institution that issues fatwas)

5. An Arab initiative you would like to be part of

Any initiative against female or male circumcision

6. If you could travel in time, to which period or year would you go back to?

I would go back to Omar Ibn al Khattab and convince him that occupying Egypt is a major sin

7. In which Arab country would you choose to live today? And why?

Egypt, my country

8. What is the song that in your opinion summarises the state of the Arab world?

Ana Mosh Arefni, Ana Toht Menni (I do not recognize myself, I am lost from myself), by Abdel Basset Hammouda https://soundcloud.com/vladomir/track

9.  Three Arab personalities you would choose to send in a space capsule

(Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah) Al Sisi, Wajdi Ghoneim (Egyptian Muslim preacher), Mostafa Bakri (Egyptian politician and media personality).

10. An Arab saying or tradition that you think other cultures should adopt

The toilet water hose

11. What would you do if you were in the proximity of someone who has extremist views or terrorist tendencies?

I would report them

12. If you could change one thing in the Arab world (apart from ISIS), what would it be?

Patriarchy

13. A happy Arab event this year

The dissolution of the commission for the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice

14. Are you for legalizing marijuana?

Hesitating between yes and no

15. Why would Ellen DeGeneres host you on her show?

Because my story is inspiring, funny, and strange as everyone who has heard would testify

16. Media channels that you follow daily

BBC and social media

17. How many hours do you spend daily on social media?

10

18. 3 people you like to follow on Twitter

(No answer)

19. A tweet you regret

Many

20. The best book you read this year

Acacia Hills

21. You favourite cafe in the region

My kitchen

22. Which politician would you take with you to a bar or cafe?

Ayman Nour (liberal Egyptian politician), Anisa Hassouna (Egyptian MP), and Mohammed Ghouneim the founder of the affirmative movement. Note: Information between brackets was added by Raseef22