Between Altruistic and Autocratic:
Hassan al-Banna’s Muslim Brotherhood
In response to the unconquered British occupation in Egypt, Hassan al-Banna called to arms the Muslim community with the establishment of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928. Having witnessed his people being exploited while stationed as an Arabic teacher along the Suez Canal, al-Banna’s anti-Western sentiment grew to such a passion that his ideology was able to reach the thousands of individuals discontented with the form their government had taken; He connected with people who shared his desire to revive and unite the Islamic nation. Conceivably, the dissatisfaction with British occupation become so prominent throughout the populace that the attitude played a principal …show more content…
Calling for “an end to party rivalry,” [6] the Muslim Brotherhood begins by outlining the start of the ruination of a democratic state: in promoting a system in which a single agenda may be expressed, they will have removed the possibility for a legitimate political discussion. With the dissolution of democracy, al-Banna sought “practical [...] consideration of the matter of the departed caliphate,” as a means to “strengthen the bonds between all Islamic countries.” [6] The appeal of this form of governance could stem from a fear of foreign powers exploiting political parties to express their country’s interests: A fear which unfortunately became a reality in 1936, when Prime Minister Nahas Pasha, elected under the Wafd party, broke his promise to win the nation’s sovereignty in signing the Anglo-Egyptian treaty, which permitted continued British military presence. [7] While the restriction of civil liberties may be justified as foresight in this respect, his motives become questionable when the elements of the document outlining a government with formidable access to the lives of their citizen are taken into consideration. The evidence of this remodeling in itially appears in a declaration of the “end of dichotomy between the private and professional spheres,” [8] thereby giving officials the right to make …show more content…
In a section entitled “Social and Educational,” [11] ambiguity dominates the al-Banna’s proclamations, particularly in regards to which actions he perceives as being moral or punishable. The first reform asserts the existence of “public morality” [11] and the justified punishment for violations, yet never provides a clear description of what either of these entail. In immediate succession is a promise to solve “the problem of women” [11], offering no further details nor any explanation for how the problem should be solved other than that the government should do so in a manner that is both “progressive and [...] protecting in accordance with Islamic teaching.” [11] Presumably, in contending both the necessity of being progressive and of maintaining religious integrity, he hopes to balance respecting women’s role in society and how he perceives their role in the Quran. Moreover, retaining an ambiguous stance on these topics was likely a strategic move on the part of al-Banna: While convincing people that their government is dysfunctional and needs to be completely restructured is relatively easy given the glaring evidence before them, to persuade an individual to alter their lifestyle is doubtlessly difficult. Therefore, al-Banna would benefit from avoiding articulating definite claims about morality and the interpretation of the
Hassan al-Banna’s Muslim Brotherhood
In response to the unconquered British occupation in Egypt, Hassan al-Banna called to arms the Muslim community with the establishment of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928. Having witnessed his people being exploited while stationed as an Arabic teacher along the Suez Canal, al-Banna’s anti-Western sentiment grew to such a passion that his ideology was able to reach the thousands of individuals discontented with the form their government had taken; He connected with people who shared his desire to revive and unite the Islamic nation. Conceivably, the dissatisfaction with British occupation become so prominent throughout the populace that the attitude played a principal …show more content…
Calling for “an end to party rivalry,” [6] the Muslim Brotherhood begins by outlining the start of the ruination of a democratic state: in promoting a system in which a single agenda may be expressed, they will have removed the possibility for a legitimate political discussion. With the dissolution of democracy, al-Banna sought “practical [...] consideration of the matter of the departed caliphate,” as a means to “strengthen the bonds between all Islamic countries.” [6] The appeal of this form of governance could stem from a fear of foreign powers exploiting political parties to express their country’s interests: A fear which unfortunately became a reality in 1936, when Prime Minister Nahas Pasha, elected under the Wafd party, broke his promise to win the nation’s sovereignty in signing the Anglo-Egyptian treaty, which permitted continued British military presence. [7] While the restriction of civil liberties may be justified as foresight in this respect, his motives become questionable when the elements of the document outlining a government with formidable access to the lives of their citizen are taken into consideration. The evidence of this remodeling in itially appears in a declaration of the “end of dichotomy between the private and professional spheres,” [8] thereby giving officials the right to make …show more content…
In a section entitled “Social and Educational,” [11] ambiguity dominates the al-Banna’s proclamations, particularly in regards to which actions he perceives as being moral or punishable. The first reform asserts the existence of “public morality” [11] and the justified punishment for violations, yet never provides a clear description of what either of these entail. In immediate succession is a promise to solve “the problem of women” [11], offering no further details nor any explanation for how the problem should be solved other than that the government should do so in a manner that is both “progressive and [...] protecting in accordance with Islamic teaching.” [11] Presumably, in contending both the necessity of being progressive and of maintaining religious integrity, he hopes to balance respecting women’s role in society and how he perceives their role in the Quran. Moreover, retaining an ambiguous stance on these topics was likely a strategic move on the part of al-Banna: While convincing people that their government is dysfunctional and needs to be completely restructured is relatively easy given the glaring evidence before them, to persuade an individual to alter their lifestyle is doubtlessly difficult. Therefore, al-Banna would benefit from avoiding articulating definite claims about morality and the interpretation of the