Changes

== Education and Influences ==

== Education and Influences ==

In 1923, he entered the State Teacher’s Training Center, and graduated at the age of 16, first in his class.  Then he entered Dar al-Ulum College (Al Azhar University) in Cairo.  Those proved to be influential years in his life.  He met many prominent Islamic scholars because of his father’s connections.  The greatest influence was his adverse reaction to the breakdown of Islamic society and the trend toward secularism that he found in the city.  He was concerned that young people were abandoning Islam and blamed the onslaught of Western culture.<ref>ibid.</ref>  The teaching he received there may also have been influential.  Several other radical Islamists also studied there, including Abdulla Azzam, 1941-1989, an educator considered “gatekeeper of the jihad”; Huari Boumedienne, 1932-1978, an Algerian dictator; [[Sayyid Qutb]], 1906-1966, Muslim Brotherhood philosopher and successor of Hassan, and Sheikh [[Ahmed Yassin]], 1936-2004, [[Hamas]] leader.<ref>http://www.nndb.com/people/6321/000135227/</ref> Hassan graduated in 1927.

In 1923, he entered the State Teacher's Training Center, and graduated at the age of 16, first in his class.  Then he entered Dar al-Ulum College (Al Azhar University) in Cairo.  Those proved to be influential years in his life.  He met many prominent Islamic scholars because of his father's connections.  The greatest influence was his adverse reaction to the breakdown of Islamic society and the trend toward secularism that he found in the city.  He was concerned that young people were abandoning Islam and blamed the onslaught of Western culture.<ref>ibid.</ref>  The teaching he received there may also have been influential.  Several other radical Islamists also studied there, including Abdulla Azzam, 1941–1989, an educator considered “gatekeeper of the jihad”; Huari Boumedienne, 1932–1978, an Algerian dictator; [[Sayyid Qutb]], 1906–1966, Muslim Brotherhood philosopher and successor of Hassan, and Sheikh [[Ahmed Yassin]], 1936–2004, [[Hamas]] leader.<ref>http://www.nndb.com/people/6321/000135227/</ref> Hassan graduated in 1927.

Al Hassan was a follower of Islamic reformists, the Egyptian Muhammed Abduh and his disciple, the [[Syria]]n Rashi Rida.  They believed that the trend of declining Islam could only be reversed by a return to “pure” Islam.<ref>Op. cit.</ref>

Al Hassan was a follower of Islamic reformists, the Egyptian Muhammed Abduh and his disciple, the [[Syria]]n Rashi Rida.  They believed that the trend of declining Islam could only be reversed by a return to “pure” Islam.<ref>Op. cit.</ref>

== Founding of the Muslim Brotherhood ==

== Founding of the Muslim Brotherhood ==

The Muslim Brotherhood was launched in March, 1928, barely one year after Al Hassan completed university. The impetus in Al-Banna’s mind seems to have been his devastation over the abolition of the last caliphate of the [[Ottoman Empire]] by [[Kemal Atatürk]] in 1924.<ref>http://counterjihadreport.com/history-of-muslim-brotherhood-penetration-of-the-u-s-government/ Accessed March 30, 2015</ref> He wanted to revive political aspects of Islam that had declined under British rule.<ref>Spencer, Stealth Jihad, Regnery Publishing, Washington, D.C., 2008, p. 14</ref> But his goals transcended politics. There were not just about anticolonialism or the renewal of Islam.  Rather, they were about a world revolution establishing Islam as the dominant religion of the world.<ref>Online Middle-East Encyclopedia, “Hassan Al-Banna”</ref> He said, “We will not stop at this point (freeing Egypt from secularism and modernity) but will pursue this evil force to its own lands, invade its Western heartland, and struggle to overcome it until all the world shouts by the name of the Prophet and the teachings of Islam are spread throughout the world.  Only then will Muslims achieve their fundamental goal…and all religion will be exclusively for Allah.”<ref>Habeck, Knowing the Enemy, p. 120.</ref>   

The Muslim Brotherhood was launched in March, 1928, barely one year after Al Hassan completed university. The impetus in Al-Banna's mind seems to have been his devastation over the abolition of the last caliphate of the [[Ottoman Empire]] by [[Kemal Atatürk]] in 1924.<ref>http://counterjihadreport.com/history-of-muslim-brotherhood-penetration-of-the-u-s-government/ Accessed March 30, 2015</ref> He wanted to revive political aspects of Islam that had declined under British rule.<ref>Spencer, Stealth Jihad, Regnery Publishing, Washington, D.C., 2008, p. 14</ref> But his goals transcended politics. There were not just about anticolonialism or the renewal of Islam.  Rather, they were about a world revolution establishing Islam as the dominant religion of the world.<ref>Online Middle-East Encyclopedia, “Hassan Al-Banna”</ref> He said, “We will not stop at this point (freeing Egypt from secularism and modernity) but will pursue this evil force to its own lands, invade its Western heartland, and struggle to overcome it until all the world shouts by the name of the Prophet and the teachings of Islam are spread throughout the world.  Only then will Muslims achieve their fundamental goal…and all religion will be exclusively for Allah.”<ref>Habeck, Knowing the Enemy, p. 120.</ref>   

== Goals of the Muslim Brotherhood in the time of Al-Banna ==

== Goals of the Muslim Brotherhood in the time of Al-Banna ==

In 1934 Al-Banna wrote that “it is a duty incumbent on every Muslim to struggle towards the aim of making every people Muslim and the whole world Islamic.”<ref>Spencer, Onward Christian Soldiers, p. 218.</ref>  He rejected the Western ideal of democracy because it did not line up with his ideal of universal Islamic rule.  According to him, “the nature of Islam is to dominate, not to be dominated, to impose its laws on all nations, and to extend its power to the entire planet.”<ref>Andrew C. McCarthy, Willful Blindness—A Memoir of the Jihad, Encounter Books, New York & London, 2008, p. 39</ref> His writings paved the way for all the forms of jihad that would come later.  Concerning jihad, he wrote, “Fighting the unbelievers involve all possible efforts that are necessary to dismantle the power of the enemies of Islam including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their places of worship and smashing their idols.”<ref>McCarthy, The Grand Jihad, p. 56</ref>  He developed their motto, still in use today:  “God is our purpose.  The Prophet is our leader.  The Qur’an is our constitution.  Jihad is our way.  Dying for God’s cause is our supreme objective.”<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref>  

In 1934 Al-Banna wrote that “it is a duty incumbent on every Muslim to struggle towards the aim of making every people Muslim and the whole world Islamic.”<ref>Spencer, Onward Christian Soldiers, p. 218.</ref>  He rejected the Western ideal of democracy because it did not line up with his ideal of universal Islamic rule.  According to him, “the nature of Islam is to dominate, not to be dominated, to impose its laws on all nations, and to extend its power to the entire planet.”<ref>Andrew C. McCarthy, Willful Blindness—A Memoir of the Jihad, Encounter Books, New York & London, 2008, p. 39</ref> His writings paved the way for all the forms of jihad that would come later.  Concerning jihad, he wrote, “Fighting the unbelievers involve all possible efforts that are necessary to dismantle the power of the enemies of Islam including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their places of worship and smashing their idols.”<ref>McCarthy, The Grand Jihad, p. 56</ref>  He developed their motto, still in use today:  “God is our purpose.  The Prophet is our leader.  The Qur’an is our constitution.  Jihad is our way.  Dying for God’s cause is our supreme objective.”<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref>  

Although it has tried to project a moderate image to the Western world, the character of the Muslim Brotherhood has been “extremist and violent from its inception.”<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref> Its original charter, Article (2) declared as its goals “establishing Allah’s law in the land, establishing the Islamic State, and building a new basis of human civilization as is ensured by the overall teachings of Islam.”<ref>Online Counter-Jihad Report, History of the Muslim Brotherhood</ref>  It also declared in Article (3) E, “The Islamic nation must be fully prepared to fight the enemies of Allah as a prelude to establishing an Islamic state.” .”<ref>Online Counter-Jihad Report, History of the Muslim Brotherhood.  From 2005 to 2011, the Original By-Laws were posted on line by the Brotherhood’s English-speaking website, Ikhanweb.  Since then they have been preserved by Steven Emerson at The Investigative Project on Terrorism.  See www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/673.pdf.</ref>  “Yet al-Banna was “not offering Muslims a new version of Islam, but a deeply traditional one.  The call to restore the purity and vitality of Islam has always struck a chord among Muslims.”  This was part of the reason for its attractiveness and rapid growth.<ref>Spencer, Onward Christian Soldiers, p. 220</ref> Stackelbeck agrees, noting that Al-Banna didn’t create it “ex nihilo”.  “The Muslim glorification of martyrdom is as old as Islam itself and comes directly from the Koran and Hadiths.”<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 75</ref>

Although it has tried to project a moderate image to the Western world, the character of the Muslim Brotherhood has been “extremist and violent from its inception.”<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref> Its original charter, Article (2) declared as its goals “establishing Allah’s law in the land, establishing the Islamic State, and building a new basis of human civilization as is ensured by the overall teachings of Islam.”<ref>Online Counter-Jihad Report, History of the Muslim Brotherhood</ref>  It also declared in Article (3) E, “The Islamic nation must be fully prepared to fight the enemies of Allah as a prelude to establishing an Islamic state.” .”<ref>Online Counter-Jihad Report, History of the Muslim Brotherhood.  From 2005 to 2011, the Original By-Laws were posted on line by the Brotherhood’s English-speaking website, Ikhanweb.  Since then they have been preserved by Steven Emerson at The Investigative Project on Terrorism.  See www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/673.pdf.</ref>  “Yet al-Banna was “not offering Muslims a new version of Islam, but a deeply traditional one.  The call to restore the purity and vitality of Islam has always struck a chord among Muslims.”  This was part of the reason for its attractiveness and rapid growth.<ref>Spencer, Onward Christian Soldiers, p. 220</ref> Stackelbeck agrees, noting that Al-Banna didn't create it “ex nihilo”.  “The Muslim glorification of martyrdom is as old as Islam itself and comes directly from the Koran and Hadiths.”<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 75</ref>

== Methods of the Al-Banna’s Muslim Brotherhood ==

== Methods of the Al-Banna’s Muslim Brotherhood ==

Al Banna’s Muslim Brotherhood was inherently subversive.  He used it as a channel of political discontent,” leading agitation against the government<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref> He developed separate sections to promote the brotherhood amongst various groups, and developed businesses, schools and clinics to support it financially and aid in recruiting. .”<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref>

Al Banna's Muslim Brotherhood was inherently subversive.  He used it as a channel of political discontent,” leading agitation against the government<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref> He developed separate sections to promote the brotherhood amongst various groups, and developed businesses, schools and clinics to support it financially and aid in recruiting. .”<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref>

On one level, the Muslim Brotherhood operated openly as a social and political membership organization.  On the other hand, other aspects of it also operated secretly, training combatants, enforcing their ideas by intimidation, initiating attacks against Jews, assassinating officials.<ref>Spencer, Onward Muslim Soldiers, p. 219</ref> These underground cells began major acts of violence in the 1940s.<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref> They have been described as acting with “military-like efficiency”<ref>McCarthy, Willful Blindness, p. 39</ref> A group of Brotherhood members were tried and found guilty of violence.  Eight months later, the judge was assassinated by two Brotherhood members.<ref>Online Middle East Encyclopedia, Hassan al Banna</ref>

On one level, the Muslim Brotherhood operated openly as a social and political membership organization.  On the other hand, other aspects of it also operated secretly, training combatants, enforcing their ideas by intimidation, initiating attacks against Jews, assassinating officials.<ref>Spencer, Onward Muslim Soldiers, p. 219</ref> These underground cells began major acts of violence in the 1940s.<ref>Online Middle East Dictionary, Hassan Al-Banna</ref> They have been described as acting with “military-like efficiency”<ref>McCarthy, Willful Blindness, p. 39</ref> A group of Brotherhood members were tried and found guilty of violence.  Eight months later, the judge was assassinated by two Brotherhood members.<ref>Online Middle East Encyclopedia, Hassan al Banna</ref>

== The Art of Death ==

== The Art of Death ==

Al-Banna called martyrdom by jihad “the art of death” in a famous essay by that name.  He insisted that the Qur'an teaches believers to love death more than life.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 14</ref>  One of the Brotherhood’s goals was to “mobilize the entire Ummah into one body to defend the cause with all its strength…to jihad, to warfare…<ref>http://counter-jihadreport.com/history-of-muslim-brotherhood-penetration-of-the-u-s-government/ Accessed March 30, 2015, quoting “On Jihad” by Hasan al-Banna.  Accessed online January 1, 2013 at http://www.islamic-world.net/book/jihad_preface.htm</ref>  

Al-Banna called martyrdom by jihad “the art of death” in a famous essay by that name.  He insisted that the Qur'an teaches believers to love death more than life.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 14</ref>  One of the Brotherhood's goals was to “mobilize the entire Ummah into one body to defend the cause with all its strength…to jihad, to warfare…<ref>http://counter-jihadreport.com/history-of-muslim-brotherhood-penetration-of-the-u-s-government/ Accessed March 30, 2015, quoting “On Jihad” by Hasan al-Banna.  Accessed online January 1, 2013 at http://www.islamic-world.net/book/jihad_preface.htm</ref>  

The call was always to Dawa (proselytization), then to jihad.  Another method of operation was gaining control of mosques and Islamic centers.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 7</ref>

The call was always to Dawa (proselytization), then to jihad.  Another method of operation was gaining control of mosques and Islamic centers.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 7</ref>

== Legacy ==

== Legacy ==

Al-Banna is a revered figure in the Muslim world today, amongst those who claim to be “moderates” as well as “radicals”.<ref>Robert Spencer, Onward Muslim Soldiers, Regnery Publishing, Washington, D.C., 2003</ref> He invoked the term “Islamism” to describe terrorists and all who share the terrorist goal of installing a society ruled by [[Shariah]] law, which was one of his own top goals.<ref>Andrew D. McCarthy, The Grand Jihad—How Islam and the Left Sabotage America, Encounter Books, New York & London, c. 2010, p. 38-39.</ref> The Muslim Brotherhood has never disavowed its jihadist founder.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 79</ref> The statements and actions of Al-Banna laid the groundwork for the anti-semitism of today’s organization.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 84</ref> Stakelbeck, an acclaimed expert on terrorism, sees Hassan al-Banna’s main accomplishment as “updating and repackaging the time-tested Islamic supremacist ideology of jihad and conquest for the restless masses of his day.”<ref>Stackelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 79</ref> Despite Al-Banna’s published writings advocating violent jihad and the overthrow of Western Civilization, the Muslim American Society calls the group “moderate” and admits that they are influenced by the ideas of the Brotherhood.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 211</ref>  Today, the Muslim Brotherhood boasts of seventy offshoot terrorist organizations.<ref>Brigitte Gabriel, They Must Be Stopped, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2008, p. 73</ref>  Two of these organizations are [[Hamas]] and [[Al Qaeda]].<ref>Spencer, Stealth Jihad, p. 14</ref> The Hamas Covenant specifically identifies Hamas as the Palestinian faction of the Muslim Brotherhood.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Terrorist Next Door, p. 201.</ref> In fact, Stakelbeck claims that “all modern jihadists trace back in one way or another to the Muslim Brotherhood and the teachings of Al-Banna and his successors.”<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 75</ref> He calls the Muslim Brotherhood the “dean of all modern Islamic terrorist groups, having provided the ideological inspiration and blueprint for Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and many of today’s most violent jihadist outfits.”<ref>Stakelbeck, The Terrorist Next Door, p.37</ref>

Al-Banna is a revered figure in the Muslim world today, amongst those who claim to be “moderates” as well as “radicals”.<ref>Robert Spencer, Onward Muslim Soldiers, Regnery Publishing, Washington, D.C., 2003</ref> He invoked the term “Islamism” to describe terrorists and all who share the terrorist goal of installing a society ruled by [[Shariah]] law, which was one of his own top goals.<ref>Andrew D. McCarthy, The Grand Jihad—How Islam and the Left Sabotage America, Encounter Books, New York & London, c. 2010, p. 38-39.</ref> The Muslim Brotherhood has never disavowed its jihadist founder.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 79</ref> The statements and actions of Al-Banna laid the groundwork for the anti-semitism of today's organization.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 84</ref> Stakelbeck, an acclaimed expert on terrorism, sees Hassan al-Banna's main accomplishment as “updating and repackaging the time-tested Islamic supremacist ideology of jihad and conquest for the restless masses of his day.”<ref>Stackelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 79</ref> Despite Al-Banna's published writings advocating violent jihad and the overthrow of Western Civilization, the Muslim American Society calls the group “moderate” and admits that they are influenced by the ideas of the Brotherhood.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 211</ref>  Today, the Muslim Brotherhood boasts of seventy offshoot terrorist organizations.<ref>Brigitte Gabriel, They Must Be Stopped, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2008, p. 73</ref>  Two of these organizations are [[Hamas]] and [[Al Qaeda]].<ref>Spencer, Stealth Jihad, p. 14</ref> The Hamas Covenant specifically identifies Hamas as the Palestinian faction of the Muslim Brotherhood.<ref>Stakelbeck, The Terrorist Next Door, p. 201.</ref> In fact, Stakelbeck claims that “all modern jihadists trace back in one way or another to the Muslim Brotherhood and the teachings of Al-Banna and his successors.”<ref>Stakelbeck, The Brotherhood, p. 75</ref> He calls the Muslim Brotherhood the “dean of all modern Islamic terrorist groups, having provided the ideological inspiration and blueprint for Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and many of today’s most violent jihadist outfits.”<ref>Stakelbeck, The Terrorist Next Door, p.37</ref>

==References==

==References==