Introduction

 The brothers called the complex of notions the "fikra"

 The brothers' image had 3 facets: Egypt, Islam, and the west.
Image of Islam
1. Muslim History
 The orthodox caliphs period was the truest to Islam. People chose the ruler based on qualities.
 Umayyad period had rulers with no sense to Islam.
 Abbasid period people had to praise the ruler and flatter him no matter what.
 Islam was now just by words, not actual faith, discussion, religious community, etc.
 non-Arabs who did not know true Islam were now leaders. The Turks were like the orthodox. They
had emotions for Islam but did not understand its law and spirit. WW1, the enemies of Islam
wrecked the Islamic state.
2. Al Azhar
 Banna was mad at the leaders of Azhar because of how Islam was. He took his cause to the people.
 Azhar students formed an important core of the membership of the Society.
 Maraghi continues to be one of the men with "correct" attitudes about revitalizing both Islam and
Azhar.
 Banna supported active cooperation between Azhar and the Society. he said that the ulama saw and
did nothing
 There were 2 Islamic groups in Egypt: the officials of Azhar and the Islamic Societies. they didn't
cooperate. Muslim Brothers became the champions of the Islamic Idea in Egypt.
 the Brothers had 2 issues: 1. the leading voice of Muslims failed to be a role for the living and
dynamic Islam. 2. it wasn't vigorous enough in resisting foreign ideas and values.
 It failed to represent Islam to Muslims. when the ulama went to sleep, the Muslim community
followed.
 They didn't relate Islam to what people need right now, modern discipline, and new techniques.
 Azhar ulama are seen as irrelevant and inefficient.
 the ulama failed to understand the defence of Islam. they failed to resist the occupier, the palace,
the parties, and they did not fight the imperialists. "If the voice of religion is not heard in the battle
of freedom, then whose will be heard?". they did not speak out.
 "Civil servant ulama" were loyal to their salaries and dishonored themselves and their religion Islam.
3. Sufism
 During the prophetic and early post prophetic days, Sufism was pure, there was worship and
knowledge of God, which were the core of Islam
 After 1st century, Sufism was changed by elements like the sciences of philosophy and logic and
heritage and thought of ancient nations. gaps were opened for corruptors by the name of Sufism,
which created new divisions in the Muslim community. Banna wanted to save pure Sufism
 Banna wanted to persuade the leaders of the local orders when they passed Isma'iiyya on reforming
and working together to save Islam. he wanted to have a general message based on learning,
education, and jihad. his followers saw the positive spiritual qualities in Banna’s views of Sufism.
 members views on Sufism were different. Some saw it as "unislamic" because it was based on a class
system. Some as Greek-Hindu which had no relation to Islam. All present agreed that Sufism was a
temporary treatment for the problems due the absence of a true Islamic life. Members of Society
understood Banna's objection to Sufism that there was struggle for power and prestige among
shaykhs and they permitted "innovations" (bida) in violation of laws in Islam (like witchcraft and
saint worship)
 Sufism economic and social objections: 1. it's a remnant of the feudal ages used by the dishonest
and unfair to "drug the masses" 2. Sufi shaykhs corrupted the countryside, obstacles to progress,
and tools for politicians to exploit people. 3. it inspired a spiritual withdrawal from life which leads to
evil. Victimized Muslims resigned themselves to their economic and social fate.
 This view of Sufism was made from the activist mentality of Banna.
 Essay at "Dar al Ulum" drew a distinction between "isolated spirituality" and "social spirituality".
The obligation was to show effort (jihad) towards the solution of social problems
4. Sects and Schools
 Brothers issue with Azhar and its ulama and Sufism was Muslim disunity. Disunity is contradicting
the Muslim duty to live in loving brotherhood with other Muslims. disunity is sinful and fatal to the
Muslim community. Banna had early concerns with the divisions of Muslims into competing groups.
 Brothers issue with Azhar and its ulama and Sufism was Muslim disunity. Disunity is contradicting
the Muslim duty to live in loving brotherhood with other Muslims. disunity is sinful and fatal to the
Muslim community. Banna had early concerns with the divisions of Muslims into competing groups.
Image of Egypt
1. Egyptian History
 Egypt is the centre of the oldest civilization of mankind, so it's logical and historically right place for
Islam to base itself. relation between Egypt and Islam was unique. First Egypt must recover from the
effects on it and other parts of the Muslim world.
 Imperialism imposed itself and its civilization on Egypt. 2 kinds: "external": force of the occupying
foreign power and "internal/domestic": forces that consciously or unconsciously served the interests
of that power. Domestic imperialism diverted Egyptians from traditional faith to acceptance of status
que and humiliation.
2. Politics and Parties
 the first objectionable aspect in Egypt were political parties, political leaders, and partyism. parties
were guided by personal greed and interests, not goals. it was governed by men not ideas. They
ruled the people but didn't reflect the nation's will nor served its interests. The parties and its
leaders were tools of the British and western ideologies since it followed their patterns of
organization and thought.
 The historic mistake of Egypt is accepting independence before expelling England from Egypt
 leaders were trained by western, not adequate to lead the Muslim countries. party leaders and
parties became the agents of disunity and division. they weakened the national strength during
battles for political freedom and internal reform. they didn't achieve independence or progress.
 the corruption in the parties had consequences: parliamentary life and democratic government
failed. the upper class monopolized the government. the people had to choose the parliament from
their oppressors.
 the granting of the parliament in 1923 was supposed to be for the nation to rule itself by itself. but it
was a cover for plundering the rights and wealth of the people. all elections since then are spurious.
 anyone who wanted to send his children to school, enter a hospital, get a job appointed, etc. either
needed a "wasita" or thought he needed it. 2 explanations: 1. the loss of confidence in the law since
its lead by corrupt officials. 2.centerlization of authority in hands of powerful leaders to the point
where subordinates became tools with neither will nor opinions.
 The monarchy: Muhammad Ghazali had indirect assaults on monarchal authority. 1952 revolution
freed writers from earlier restraints and discredited Faruq as source of all corruption.
 Muhammad Ali, considered as "leader of Egypt" raised Egypt by building factories, navies, armies,
etc. but destructed Islam as he was the instrument of penetration of western ideas. he failed to
establish Islam as a socio-political system. same thing happened to turkey and its leader Mustafa
Kemal.
3. Capitalism and Foreign Economic Domination
 factors of economic image of Egypt: 1. maldistribution of wealth and land. 2. foreign economic
exploitation
 money for developmental projects was in the hands of capitalists who place their interest before the
nation. poor pay the taxes. in theory slavery was freed, but it continued without concern for the
body or soul.
 laborers don't live in decent homes for good health and life. this leads to evils since it rejects all
principles of humanity, of the age, the nature of thigs and the simplest economic principles. Banna
wanted to inform people on the gap between the rich and poor.
 Banna was mad when he saw the street sign in the language of the economic occupation. laborers
who came to Banna launched the movement.
 He observed the foreigners both the imperialists who occupied Egypt and those who assumed
Egyptian nationality take the natural recourses of Egypt for themselves and their countries. they
viewed Egyptian citizens, workers, and rulers without esteem or justice. this attitude of Banna and
his followers remained a constant in the movement's dynamic.
4. Society and Morality
 evacuation of British troops in Egypt in 1954 meant for the Brothers the end of the invasion. Europe
brought with them their laws, schools, languages, sciences, wine, women, ad sin.
 Muslim society was gone, the things that Europe brought to Egypt corrupted the people. from family
life to moral and sex problems, and women losing their Muslim virtues to be like European women.
some have remained Muslim while others out westernized the westerns.
 Contradicting schools: a religious education that leads to Azhar and a civil education to the
university. the ulama, leaders, law makers, and lawyers did not resist the western codes of law,
which corrupted the nation's thought, mind, and logic. shattered the unity of the nation.
Image of the west
 brothers distinguished between Europe in its environment and Europe that was thrown at the east.
The west includes the free world and the communist.
1. Western Civilization
 positive qualities of western civilization: respect for individual freedom, right of workers to protect
their interest, sense of responsibility of rulers to their people, and "social spirit"
 Communist world: concern for poor, equality, mutuality of responsibility among classes,
brotherhood, humanitarianism without distinction between people. This was the Russian
communism.
 the truly practical social order is found in Islam. communism says " equality, the abolition of classes,
distinctions, and the pride of property" the Muslim feels this. ex: entering mosque it belongs to God,
there is no small or great, follow the imam in his actions but if he makes a mistake people can
correct him, all are equal.
 western democracy had good political process but corrupted individuals and societies. excess of
"individualism" led to man go against man and class go against class. America became the defender
and leader for the empire of the white man.
 Communism is also at fault, because of materialism. they said that justice and equality are in the
hands of humans who define their limits, not in the hands of God. Banna said that the civilization of
the west was proud of its science but now its bankrupt and declining. revolution is in process
everywhere. greed materialism and oppression destroyed relations between states. all humanity is
tortured.
 materialism, greed, and tyranny were the reasons for the brothers' negative attitude towards the
west. they needed to resist both the western secularism and occupation.
2. Imperialism
 the brothers felt about the occupation in Egypt as slow annihilation and complete corruption.
imperialism affected every Muslim country.
 Russian imperialism most violent in its enmity to Islam and Muslims. the Russian empire was a
slaughterhouse of religion to enslaved Muslims.
 after Roosevelt, U.S. joined the imperialists to create Israel and supported imperialism wherever
Muslims occupied.
 the U.S. theoretically believed int he right of man and social justice but supported the Zionist
aggressors and gave palatine to the Jews. The U.S. destroyed the reputation and honour of Muslims
and Easterns to win Palestine and featured the slogan "pay a dollar to kill an Arab"
 the brothers rejected the theoretical question of capitalism and communism. Capitalism was
equated with individualism, which led to social chaos, communism with atheism, and both with
materialism.
 Israel was seen as a device to establish commercial hegemony over the middle east.
 communism is a threat at the gates of the nation and capitalism is a threat within its boundaries.
 Cultural imperialism: it entered the minds of the people with its teachings and thoughts, and it tried
to dominate the social situation in the country.
 the attitude towards cultural imperialism became more noticeable during and after the Palestine
war.
 Western imperialistic crusading (campaigning) is an attempt to conquer Muslim lands and subvert
the Muslim society.