It begins: Qaradawi to lead Friday prayers in Cairo

He’s the spiritual leader of that mostly secular Egyptian civics group called the Muslim Brotherhood. And he just might become the Ayatollah-esque figure that the Egyptian revolution has lacked so far.

For the first time since he was banned from leading weekly friday prayers in Egypt 30 years ago, prominent Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi will lead thousands in the weekly prayers from Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday.

Sources told Al Arabiya that a military force will accompany the head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars from his home to Tahrir Square, provide security for the prayers and accompany him back to his residence.

Al-Qaradawi last delivered a Friday prayer sermon in Egypt in 1981 after the assassination of former President Anwar el-Sadat.

But really, there’s nothing to fear. The Muslim Brotherhood are basically Egypt’s answer to the Village People. Or YMCA. Whatever.