Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Muslim Brotherhood (Arabic: al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun) is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt. It is one of the most influential Islamist movements globally, with branches or affiliated groups in many countries.
Hassan al-Banna (1906–1949), an Egyptian schoolteacher, Islamic scholar, and imam, founded the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928 in Ismailia, Egypt (near the Suez Canal). Al-Banna was motivated by British colonial influence, Western cultural encroachment, the decline of Islamic societies, and the 1924 abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate.
Funding and influence
He started it with six workers, aiming to promote Islamic revival through education, social welfare, and moral reform. It began as a religious and social movement but quickly gained political dimensions.
Early funding was seemingly grassroots through Membership dues and donations from supporters such as Business enterprises, charities, schools, and hospitals run by the group.
During World War II, Britain engage with the Muslim Brotherhood finding it tactically useful as a counterweight to other threats. Many powerful countries secretly fund radicle groups or just radicle factions in groups to create influence if not control.
Just as social welfare will create loyalty the warning about Greek bearing gifts or the dainties of rulers is not idle sayings or scripture.
The pro-British Egyptian monarchy began funding the Brotherhood around 1940.
By 1942, British officials coordinated indirect subsidies (via the Egyptian government) to influence or moderate the group and gather intelligence. This included meetings with Egyptian leaders to provide financial assistance and embed agents for monitoring.
Over time and especially after spreading internationally this infiltration and economic support continued.
Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and others historically provided support for decades, though relations soured at times.
Qatar and Turkey (under AKP rule) have been major backers in recent decades, offering financial, political, and media support.
International networks of charities, businesses, investments, and diaspora contributions continues.
Funding is often opaque and channeled through affiliated organizations, social services, and investments.
It is said to be not funded by a single source or government but sustains itself through a mix of member contributions, businesses, and state patronage from sympathetic countries.
Once their are millions and even billions at stake to think financial backed political power does not buy influence one would have to be delusional.
Goals and Ideology
The Brotherhood's core slogan is: "Allah is our objective, the Prophet is our leader, the Quran is our constitution, jihad is our way, dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope."
The Brotherhood is clearly following the ideology that made Islam one of the bloodiest imperial powers for centuries and centuries.
Key objectives includes
Islamization from the bottom up — Gradual reform of individuals, families, society, and eventually the state through education, social services, and political participation.
They see Islam as a complete system (nizam kamil) for all aspects of life. It includes the historic islamic values that are implemented through Sharia as the basis for law, governance, and society which opposes Freedom of Religion, thought.
It resists all that is not Islam and only resists imperialism and colonialism when it is not their own. They ultimately are aiming for a caliphate or unified Islamic governance which depends entirely on the ways of Nimrod and Babylon.
Social welfare through the rulers of their world so that they may be found Building hospitals, schools, and legal charities to gain popular support ("Islam is the solution"). This of course is a snare and a trap and the righteous would put a knife to their throat.
Resistance to Western influence is resistance to the principles of the Declaration of Independence, liberty under God and the righteousness of God and The Way of the prophets.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, originated as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Its influence remains significant through political parties, NGOs, and networks, though it has faced crackdowns in many Arab countries post-Arab Spring.