Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood
The Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood
The Muslim Brotherhood is the largest Islamist organization in Egypt. It was founded in the 1920s by Hassan Al-Banna. The movement was a model of political activism combined with Islamic charity work. At first, it only aimed to spread Islamic morals, but soon became involved in politics. While the Muslim Brotherhood claims that it supports democratic principles, it aims to create a state ruled by Al Shariaa. Al Shariaa is the Islamic law stated in the Quran. The Brotherhood's mostly used slogan is "Islam is the solution", and it is known worldwide. It officially opposes violence to achieve goals; however, some of the movement's members were involved in massacres, bombings and assassinations of political opponents. In 1954, the movement was blamed and banned after trying to assassinate President Gamal Abdul Nasser. In the 1980s, they attempted to rejoin the political mainstream. It lead public opposition to the National Democratic Party of President Hosni Mubarak ("Profile: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood"). The movement had different positions through the years. The Muslim Brotherhood's position has radically changed and this has political, social and economic implications for Egypt.
It is impossible to completely understand the importance of the Muslim Brotherhood's position today without denoting its violent past. The Brotherhood has made many efforts since the 1970s to position itself as a conventional religious and political movement in Egypt. In the 1940s, its members had risen to more than 500,000 supporting three major causes: "battling British colonialism, resistance to a new Jewish state and fighting corruption in Egypt" (Gerges). Even though the movement was supposed to be political and religious, it established a paramilitary wing. Its main concerns were prominent Jews and targeting political leaders in Egypt. In 1948, the Egyptian Prime Minister Mahmoud El-Nokrashy was assassinated by one of the Brothers. As a result,
The Muslim Brotherhood is the largest Islamist organization in Egypt. It was founded in the 1920s by Hassan Al-Banna. The movement was a model of political activism combined with Islamic charity work. At first, it only aimed to spread Islamic morals, but soon became involved in politics. While the Muslim Brotherhood claims that it supports democratic principles, it aims to create a state ruled by Al Shariaa. Al Shariaa is the Islamic law stated in the Quran. The Brotherhood's mostly used slogan is "Islam is the solution", and it is known worldwide. It officially opposes violence to achieve goals; however, some of the movement's members were involved in massacres, bombings and assassinations of political opponents. In 1954, the movement was blamed and banned after trying to assassinate President Gamal Abdul Nasser. In the 1980s, they attempted to rejoin the political mainstream. It lead public opposition to the National Democratic Party of President Hosni Mubarak ("Profile: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood"). The movement had different positions through the years. The Muslim Brotherhood's position has radically changed and this has political, social and economic implications for Egypt.
It is impossible to completely understand the importance of the Muslim Brotherhood's position today without denoting its violent past. The Brotherhood has made many efforts since the 1970s to position itself as a conventional religious and political movement in Egypt. In the 1940s, its members had risen to more than 500,000 supporting three major causes: "battling British colonialism, resistance to a new Jewish state and fighting corruption in Egypt" (Gerges). Even though the movement was supposed to be political and religious, it established a paramilitary wing. Its main concerns were prominent Jews and targeting political leaders in Egypt. In 1948, the Egyptian Prime Minister Mahmoud El-Nokrashy was assassinated by one of the Brothers. As a result,
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