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Report #3 in a New Series: The Muslim Brotherhood 2002 - 2011 Part 1: October 2002 - January 2004 June 2011

Report #3 in a New NEFA Series: The Muslim Brotherhood By NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ronald Sandee June 2011 In this report, the NEFA Foundation will focus on the developments within the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood over the past 10 years. As the Brotherhood is often described in the Western media as a moderate force within Egypt, the report will investigate this notion and endeavor to indentify trends within the Brotherhood, while allowing the leadership of the Brotherhood to speak for themselves. On October 29, 2002, Mustafa Mashhur, the 5th General Guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, was taken to a hospital after suffering a stroke. It was soon reported that Mashhur was in a coma and could die at any moment. 1 While Mashhur was in this state, the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt began to prepare for the election of a new General Guide, and at this point, it was all but certain the most serious candidate would be Deputy General Guide Mamun al-Hudaybi. Hudaybi was not only the Deputy General Guide, he also served as the official spokesman for the movement and had become the de facto leader following Mashhurs stroke which resulted in his slipping into a coma.

Mustafa Mashhur

While the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood was quick to state they had completely ruled out the idea of nominating a General Guide from the outside, Egyptian voices within the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood had quite a different view. In the London-based Arab language newspaper, al-Sharq alAwsat, a former leader of the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood said: that the Egypt leadership prefers to speed up a decision on the new guide so as to cut off opposition by the international organization outside Egypt. 2 According to the anonymous leader, the international organization had objected to its being completely excluded in the all important decision to choose a new General Guide. According to this leader, this decision directly contradicted MB guidelines that addressed this situation: the internal regulations of the international organization,

which call for electing a guide from among the leaders of the international
1 2

Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002

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organization, which comprises the national leaders of the groups in various parts or the world this not being a position restricted to Egypt only. 3 The former leader

indicated that the names that were circulating were those of Egyptian Yusuf alQaradawi and Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood leader Faisal Malawi. 4

between the leaderships of the Egyptian and international organizations. There have been recurrent and violent disputes between Al-Hudaybi and the international organization. 5 In response, a member of the Consultative Council of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was clear when he said: the general guide position will never be taken out of Egypt and that there was no likelihood at all of this. 6 The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader also explained: official regulations were something and the actual conditions something else. Choosing a guide from outside Egypt would require transferring the groups leadership to the country to which that guide belongs. The regulations provide for choosing at least eight of the Guidance Bureau members from the guides country, to guarantee the quorum required for meetings in the event that other members are prevented from travelling. This would be practically impossible because of the regional and international changes that have resulted in the group being under siege. 7
It is not surprising that the members of the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood were concerned about the succession of Mustafa Mashhur. While Mustafa Mashhur was known for being one of the founders of the international organization in the 1980s, his deputy, Mamun alHudaybi, the frontrunner to succeed Mashhur as General Guide, was not a strong supporter of the international organization to say the least. While alHudaybi served as Deputy General Guide and Official Spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood, he did not tolerate a second spokesman operating within the organization. To that end, he forced Kamal Helbawi, the official spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood in the West, to resign.

The leader expected that appointing Al-Hudaybi as guide would detonate the dispute

Hudaybi and Mashhur

The Muslim Brotherhood had made its decision and was only awaiting the death of Mustafa Mashhur to announce the new General Guide. As acting General Guide, Mamun al-Hudaybi granted a lengthy interview to As-Sharq al-Awsat on November 14, 2002, a few hours before Mashhur died. In this interview, he discussed a wide range of subjects and his responses articulated an air of authority leading the newspaper to conclude he would indeed assume the role of the new General Guide:
3 4

Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002; Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 15, 2002 5 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002 6 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002 7 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 5, 2002

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But from the interview with him, it can be confirmed that he will actually be the next guide. 8 In the interview, al-Hudaybi discussed issues such as the necessity to form a political party within the framework of applicable law. He highlighted a court ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court in Egypt in which the court writes that article eight of the constitution says that the Islamic shariah is the fundamental source of legislation in Egypt. Consequently, according to him, the Muslim Brotherhood should be able to establish a political party, but not a religious

party. We reject that terminology because it has come from the West and it means that the religious party speaks in the Mamun al-Hudaybi name of our Lord. We in Egypt or anywhere in Islam do not have anyone who speaks in the name of Allah. We want a regular political party, but one whose authority is Islam. The Islamic faith has room for many interpretations and many policies. 9 He also was attentive to the opinion of the Egyptian government as he stated: we do not want to do anything that infringes upon the authority in Egypt or make it feel that we are getting high and mighty or want to upset it. 10
Concerning the guiding principles for the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Hudaybi stated that the Brothers call the way they run the movement an Islamic democracy in which Shura is one of the important fundaments. On the role of the General Guide: Matters

must be left to run their course. The guide does not have any power if the vote is against him. Al-Hudaybi also comments in this interview on the International created restrictions on the movement. However, it is a down payment for what we are aiming for, which is the unity of the Arab nation. The International Organization of the Brotherhood is not something that is trivial; it is a symbol that has value and importance. The mission of the International Organization of the Brotherhood is represented by the attempt to unify the views on various issues like the issue of women, for example. 11 A few days following that interview, al-Hudaybi said to another Arabic newspaper, al-Hayat: the idea behind the international organization is to symbolize Arab and Islamic unity, called the caliphate. 12

Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood. According to him, the international organization has not fulfilled its objectives: But the international circumstances have

On November 14, 2002, Mustafa Mashhur died, and on November 24, 2002, the Muslim Brotherhood announced that Mamun al-Hudaybi had succeeded Mashhur as General Guide. 13 The day before, al-Hudaybi had received an official Qatari delegation

8 9

Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 15, 2002. Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 15, 2002; Al-Zaman, June 22, 2003 10 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 15, 2002. 11 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 15, 2002 12 Al-Hayat, November 25, 2002. 13 Al-Hayat, November 25, 2002.

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that came to offer their condolences on the death of Mashhur, as well as a delegation representing the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood. 14 In the press, there were doubts about how the new General Guide was to be chosen. According to the bylaws of the Muslim Brotherhood, it is the Consultative Council that is to choose the new General Guide from the members of the Executive Bureau. However, in this case, it was two thirds of the members of the Executive Bureau present at a meeting who chose the new General Guide. In response to the situation, al-Hudaybi explained to al-Hayat that the Shura Council had not met since 1995. The MBs Shura Councils latest meeting was closely watched

interview, al-Hudaybi said that 91 leaders had been arrested. 16 In this case, the members of the Executive Bureau had spoken over a period of time with individual members of the Shura Council to discuss their opinions concerning the issue of naming the new General Guide. Al-Hudaybi was the first General Guide who started his period in leadership with an attack on the U.S., stating that the war against terrorism had turned into a campaign against Islam, and that the U.S. plans in the region were in place before the 9/11 attacks. 17 In the months following al-Hudaybis appointment, he became more outspoken on this subject, and in February 2003, he called on Muslims to unite in order to confront a crusade against them. 18 What is happening now in beloved

by the security agencies, and more than 83 MB figures were arrested that year simply because they attended meeting. They were referred to a military court and prison terms ranging from three to five years were passed against most of them. 15 In a later

Palestine, what happened and what is about to happen in beloved Iraq and its brotherly Muslim people, what happened previously in Afghanistan, and even what some countries are proud to call a crusade against Muslims 19 The General Guide added The time has come for us to work seriously before we are eliminated from this world, or before we are as those who live as dishonorable slaves. 20
In the days following, Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15, were designated as two days of anger and protests against the US build-up to the invasion. 21 The leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood released a statement that called on the Islamic nations and all peace lovers to stand in one rank against the forces of war, evil and darkness with all the legitimate means. 22 The Egyptian authorities had, in the months prior to the February protests, directed several blows at the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood. Many MB leaders and
14 15

Al-Hayat, November 23, 2002. Al-Hayat, November 25, 2002. 16 Al-Zaman, June 22, 2003 17 Al-Hayat, November 25, 2002 18 Al-Hayat, February 11, 2003 19 Al-Hayat, February 11, 2003 20 Al-Hayat, February 11, 2003 21 Al-Hayat, February 13, 2003. 22 Al-Hayat, February 13, 2003.

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members were arrested and some were placed in preventive custody. Others were referred to military courts. The authorities accused the arrested members of the Muslim Brotherhood of using regional and international issues such as the upcoming Iraq war and the occupation of Palestine to rouse public support and urge them to revolt against the Egyptian regime. 23 During the protests, which also commemorated the death of Hasan al-Banna on February 12, 1949, the General Guide spoke and warned of U.S. troops coming to the region declaring that Jihad has become a duty for every individual. The MB members rhetoric, it is important to understand the mindset. The Muslim Brotherhood grew exponentially in the 1930s when the Brothers rallied around their fellow Brothers in Palestine and joined the Arab Revolt. Their anti-Jewish platform was an effective means to build unity on the Egyptian streets and they never abandoned their anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist agenda.

now call on the nations peoples and leaders to reorganize the Arab house and unite their ranks. 24 Although most of this can be characterized as typical pan-Islamic

The Palestinian intifada is a legitimate jihad in the cause of Allah. Martyrdom operations are one of the weapons of jihad against an enemy who occupies the cities and villages of Palestine, kills innocent and defenseless people with all types of weapons of mass destruction, and carries out massacres in every village, city, street and neighborhood. 25 Al-Hudaybi went on to lash out at the U.S.: The USA regards the enemys brutal aggression as self-defense, but sees the cries of the innocent, defenseless victims as violence and terrorism. Only jihad will work with the aggressive, usurpist enemy. Islam dictates that the entire Islamic nation should stand behind Hamas and all mujahidin to support the intifada and ensure its continuation. 26 This authoritative stand articulates al-Hudaybis view of himself as the official spokesman for the entire Muslim Brotherhood, including the International Organization. In the weeks before the invasion of Iraq (March 20, 2003), al-Hudaybi expressed his opposition to the Iraq war more than once in the international Arab media.

harbinger of great harm and brutal aggression, the price of which only the fraternal Iraqi people will pay. Such aggression will also cause harm to the Palestinian issue and all states in the region. 27 A week later on February 23, the General Guide voiced his

On February 15, al-Hudaybi said: The deployment of US forces in the region is a

frustration that the Muslim Brotherhood was not able to mobilize their foot soldiers in multiple countries in an effort to go to the streets and voice their anger about the expected invasion of Iraq. He criticized those who order the security bodies to oppress

the people, who are prevented from voicing their rejection and angerthe Arab

23 24

Al-Hayat, February 15, 2003. Al-Hayat, February 15, 2003. 25 Al-Hayat, February 15, 2003. 26 Al-Hayat, February 15, 2003. 27 Al-Hayat, February 15, 2003.

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masses are awaiting their role to confront the vicious war itself and battle the bloodshed, occupation of homes, and fragmentation of homelands. 28
A week before the invasion of Iraq began, al-Hudaybi called for jihad by the members of the Muslim Brotherhood to defend Iraq. Its time for Jihad. Allah will be with you and will not abandon you, the General Guide said. 29 The call by the General Guide came two days after Al-Azhars Islamic Research Academy called on all Muslims to undertake Jihad against the Crusader invaders should an invasion of Iraq take place. According to al-Azhar, the invasion of a Muslim country makes jihad an ordained duty for all Muslims. 30 Azhar University is recognized as the leading Islamic religious institute in the Muslim world today. In the months after the operation in Iraq began, the Muslim Brotherhood continued to escalate the rhetoric repeatedly flaming the same arguments. In May, al-Hudaybi spoke about U.S. policies in Iraq and those concerning the Palestinians: it is the old new

policy, the policy of machination, backbiting, igniting sedition and the splitting of ranks. It is the policy that the Jews pursued during the life of the Prophet () it is the same policy that the imperialists pursued in the Muslim east and in all their colonies over the past two centuries. Let the leaders in Iraq and Palestine put the interest of their creed, nation and homelands above all others and let them beware disunity, because it is weakness, humiliation and disgrace. 31
In mid-June, the General Guide said: the only solution for the Palestinian issue is the adoption of jihad as the means for liberating the Palestinian territories. 32 According to the London-based Arab language newspaper al-Hayat, the General Guide escalated his choice of wording when he spoke on June 20 in front of the al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. Al-Hudaybi said that the Muslim Brotherhood rejects all peaceful solutions with Israel and called the U.S. and Israel the forces of evil, idolatry and atheism 33 He described the Western countries as anti-Muslim forces and called them the party of Satan, also stating: no victory can be achieved without sacrifice, no empowerment,

without jihad, and no dignity except that which comes through obedience to Allah. First establish the state of Islam in your hearts so that it can be established on your land. Make yourselves and your houses ready. 34

is using its armies to overrun Arab and Muslim lands, and is blatantly declaring its bias
28 29

That next week, al-Hudaybi went a step further in his messages to the Muslim Brothers around the world when he urged jihad against the US forces that occupy Iraq and Afghanistan, and condemned the forces of evil in the United States and the EU. 35 The US administration, backed by the EU, is devoting all its efforts, is exerting pressure,

Al-Hayat, February 23, 2003. Al-Hayat, March 14, 2003, p.6 30 Al-Hayat, March 14, 2003, p.6 31 Al-Hayat, May 17, 2003, p.6 32 Al-Hayat, June 14, 2003 33 Al-Hayat, June 21, 2003, p.6 34 Al-Hayat, June 21, 2003, p.6 35 Al-Hayat, June 28, 2003, p.7

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to the Zionist entity as it continues its aggression and crimes. The United States has no sense of shame and declares that the Palestinian peoples resistance against those who occupy their homeland constitutes violence and terrorism. 36
The General Guide expressed the belief that the United States does not understand, or rather, does not want to understand that, to the Arab and Muslim mind, resisting foreign occupation is legitimate jihad that is imposed as a duty on a Muslim and that it is the duty of other Muslims to back this resistance by all available means. 37 In his

racist state for it believes that the US nationals, victims in the Lockerbie case, deserve millions of dollars in reparation while it believe no price should be paid for the blood of Muslims in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. 39
In early October, the Muslim Brotherhood organized demonstrations at multiple Egyptian Universities. For at least three consecutive days, demonstrators burned Israeli and U.S. flags and chanted slogans against President Bush. The General Guide called for the activation of jihad to achieve victory over the Jewish state. 40 In late November 2003, the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat published an article about possible dialogue taking place between Americans and the Muslim Brotherhood in the Gulf state of Qatar. The General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood was swift in his response when he denied any contact between leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and U.S. government officials; according to him it was pure fabrication and false allegations that are totally baseless. 41 Although technically, it might not have been leaders of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood that were in contact with U.S. officials, there was contact with groups of Muslim clerics linked to Yusuf al-Qaradawi, as was later admitted by al-Hudaybi in a later interview. 42 In December 2003, al-Hudaybi explained to a journalist why he did not want to meet with a representative of the U.S. government. His rationale was that a meeting with U.S. officials would be highly unlikely, but that said, the General Guide went on to explain that the issue was a very sensitive one to the authorities in Egypt. 43 When asked this same question, Mahdi Akef, who served as the next, and 7th General Guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, from 2004-1010, always provided the same answer: that he was not against a dialogue with the U.S. government, however, he contended that the Muslim Brotherhood was not a state, but a movement, so a dialogue with the U.S. should be led by the Egyptian Foreign Minister.
36 37

subsequent messages, al-Hudaybi continued to criticize the U.S. and its hostility toward Islam and Muslims. 38 In late August, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood again escalated the war of words with the U.S. when he described the United States as a

Al-Hayat, June 28, 2003, p.7 Al-Hayat, June 28, 2003, p.7 38 Al-Hayat, July 6, 2003 39 Al-Jazeera, August 28, 2003 40 Al-Hayat, October 10, 2003 41 Al-Sharq al-Awsat, November 26, 2003 42 Al-Zaman, December 17, 2003, p.7 43 Al-Zaman, December 17, 2003, p.7

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forgiveness and atonement, How far is all this from what humankind is suffering in terms of tragedies and wars? It is strange this suffering is caused by groups who claim affiliation to Christ and his religion in Europe and the United States and who have built a culture of violence, racism and decadence. 44

On New Years Eve 2003, al-Hudaybi appealed to the Christians to stand alongside the Muslims against Western policies in general, and U.S. policies in particular. The General Guide said: Christ called for morality, chastity, modesty, honor, virtue, piety, mercy,

On January 8, 2004, Mamun al-Hudaybi died of colon cancer at the age of 83. 45 The following day a funeral service was held in the Raba al-Adwiya Mosque in an eastern Cairo suburb. Thousands of people attended to pay their last respects to the late General Guide. He was buried in his hometown in the governorate of Qalyubiya. The Executive Bureau selected member Muhammad Halal as acting General Guide until a successor could be appointed. 46 Concluding remarks Mamun al-Hudaybi served as the 6th General Guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood for just over one year. His time as the leader of the Egyptian Brothers showed al-Hudaybi was not to be known as the internationalist his predecessor Mashhur was. Al-Hudaybi was more the spokesman-in-chief he had been while serving as Deputy General Guide under Mashhur. In that role, he could allow other Muslim Brothers abroad to carry a different message to the world, and in that vein, he hoped to strip them of their voice, thereby silencing the International Organization of the Brothers, and was quite successful in that goal. Al-Hudaybi was extremely careful not to provoke Egyptian authorities. As the invasion of Iraq was becoming an imminent reality in early 2003, the General Guide began to lash out against the U.S. and the West in general, but his favorite target remained Israel, maintaining the Brotherhoods position on the Jews in Palestine in the mid 1930s. On behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood, the General Guide was clear about his opinion that there would never be peace with Israel as the land they have claimed as theirs was Muslim land, Arab land, and therefore the Jewish people had no rights to their land. Although the Egyptian government appears to be at peace with Israel, in reality the Egyptian authorities maintain a Cold Peace with the Jewish State. Egyptians using anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic rhetoric are almost never prohibited from doing so and appear to have a free hand in spreading their vitriolic propaganda.

44 45

Al-Hayat, December 31, 2003 MENA news agency, January 8, 2004 46 MENA news agency, January 9, 2004

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