Transcript Islamist orgs in egypt

Societal challenges to the
state
Part I: Islamic Organizations in
Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood
Important points
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Diversity of Islamic “scene”
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Some accommodationist (Muslim Brotherhood),
some radical (Jama’a al-Islamiyyah)
Estimated 45 militant Islamic organizations in Egypt
that call for the overthrow of the Egyptian state
“neofundamentalist”?
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look to the sources of Islam not simply to replicate
the past but to respond to a new age…
Muslim Brotherhood (Egypt)
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one of original and most important Islamic
activist organizations in the Muslim world
worldwide spiritual movement
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main goal is to “build Islamic individuals” who
will then build an Islamic state
Organizational and ideological model for both
moderate and radical Islamic organizations
today
Origins
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Founded 1928 by Hasan al
Banna (1906-1949)
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school teacher
Popular reaction against
foreign-inspired
parliamentary regime.
Grew dramatically in
1930s; by 1940 had more
than 500 branches
throughout Egypt and tens
of thousands of members.
Supported across classes.
Hasan al-Banna
What: MB Program
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Program: traditional and
innovative
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social and political
regeneration of Egypt tied to
restoration of Islam as guiding
force in national life
anti-imperialist
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West as political, economic,
cultural threat
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Hostile to westernization but
NOT modernization
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used modern institution
building, promoted health,
used technology and modern
communication to promote
message.
Re-implementation (and reinterpretation) of Sharia and
Quran
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More radical interpretations
of Jihad
Merging of Quranic
definitions of fighting (qital)
and the inner spiritual
struggle against evil (jihad)
call to engage in holy war
against infidels, Christians,
and Jews.
Advocated social welfare
programs and land reform.
Strong supporters of social
reform and social
responsibility
In this Tradition, there is a clear indication of the obligation to fight
the People of the Book, and of the fact that God doubles the reward
of those who fight them. Jihad is not against polytheists alone, but
against all who do not embrace Islam...
Today the Muslims, as you know, are compelled to humble
themselves before non-Muslims, and are ruled by unbelievers. Their
lands have been trampled over, and their honor besmirched. Their
adversaries are in charge of their affairs, and the rites of their religion
have fallen into abeyance within their own domains, to say nothing of
their impotence to broadcast the summons [to embrace Islam].
Hence it has become an individual obligation, which there is no
evading, on every Muslim to prepare his equipment, to make up his
mind to engage in jihad, and to get ready for it until the opportunity
is ripe and God decrees a matter which is sure to be accomplished...
Know then that death is inevitable, and that it can only
happen once. If you suffer it in the way of God, it will be your profit
in this world, and your reward in the next.
- Hasan al-Banna, “On Jihad,” in Five Tracts of
Hasan al-Banna, trans. by Charles Wendell (Berkeley, 1978)
How: Three Phases
Phase One—1928-1939
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Membership: mostly youth organization
Methods: Charitable works, education, information and
propaganda
State-Society relationship: adversarial but legal
Phase Two —1939-1960s
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Membership: broad-based
Methods: political party, violent action, assassinations,
social welfare (continues)
State-Society relationship
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1948-1954: cooperated with the Young Officers and Nasserist
revolutionaries
1954-1971: illegal, massive suppression by Nasser
Phase 2 cont.
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New Inspiration: Sayyid Qutb
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Qutb: societies of God and societies of Satan (no one in
middle)
Urged creation of a "vanguard" (Tali'ah) of believers
who would lead the way in the war on jahiliyya (pagan
ignorance of divine guidance)
Argued that because of authoritarian nature of most
Muslim regimes, armed struggle necessary.
Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966)
“Mankind today is on the brink of a precipice, not because of the
danger of complete annihilation which is hanging over its head this being just a symptom and not the real disease - but because
humanity is devoid of those vital values which are necessary not
only for its healthy development but also for its real progress.
Even the Western world realizes that Western civilization is unable
to present any healthy values for the guidance of mankind. It
knows that it does not possess anything which will satisfy its own
conscience and justify its existence...
It is essential for mankind to have a new leadership...
It is necessary for the new leadership to preserve and develop the
material fruits of the creative genius of Europe, and also to
provide mankind with such high ideals and values as have so far
remained undiscovered by mankind, and which will also acquaint
humanity with a way of life which is harmonious with human
nature, which positive and constructive, and which is practicable.
Islam is the only system which possesses these values and this way
of life.
- From Sayyid Qutb, Milestones (Beirut: 1980)
How (cont): Phase Three
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Phase 3 – 1971 to present
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Membership
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Leadership- educated upper middle class
Membership- diverse, mass support
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Methods: commitment to nonviolence and Islamist
reformism
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Stronger opposition party in Egypt
Political activism
Huge network of charitable institutions and social welfare
programs, dominance of professional syndicates
State-Society Relations: dualism
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Accommodation (MB illegal as a political party but
tolerated, incorporated into political system)
Persecution (leaders detained, etc.)