THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD – IN ITS OWN WORDS
Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
Palestinian Media Watch, Aug. 3, 2012
(The complete translation in pdf format)
A member of the Muslim Brotherhood is now the president of Egypt. What does the
Muslim Brotherhood stand for? What are its beliefs, opinions and goals? In order to
understand the implications, Palestinian Media Watch has translated the book Jihad
is the Way by Mustafa Mashhur, who was the official leader of the Muslim
Brotherhood in Egypt 1996-2002. The book is the fifth volume of his full work called
The Laws of Da'wa (Islamic missionary activity).
In his book, Jihad is the Way, Mashhur explains in detail the Muslim Brotherhood’s religious beliefs and aspirations, and especially the role of violent Jihad in bringing about a world under Islam. Mashhur's teachings encompass subjects such as the Muslim Brotherhood's goal of establishing an Islamic state, world domination under Islam, the public and personal religious duty of military Jihad, and the warning not to rush to Jihad until it is prepared and timed for maximum benefit.
PMW has selected the following quotes from Jihad is the way to illustrate central ideas of Muslim Brotherhood ideology. PMW's translation of the book follows below.
The Jihad is Our Way – The Motto of the Da'wa (Islamic missionary activity)
…"Allah is our goal, the Prophet is our leader, the Quran is our constitution, Jihad is our way, and death for Allah is our most exalted wish."
Muslim Brotherhood goal: Islamic world domination
"…the Islamic Ummah [nation]… can regain its power, be liberated and assume its rightful position which was intended by Allah, as the most exalted nation among men, as the teachers of humanity…"
"…know your status, so that you firmly believe that you are the masters of the world, even if your enemies desire your degradation…"
"It should be known that Jihad and preparation for Jihad are not only for the purpose of fending-off assaults and attacks against Muslims by Allah's enemies, but are also for the purpose of realizing the great task of establishing an Islamic state, strengthening the religion and spreading it around the world…"
"…Jihad for Allah is not limited to the specific region of the Islamic countries. The Muslim homeland is one and is not divided. The banner of Jihad has already been raised in some of its parts, and it shall continue to be raised, with the help of Allah, until every inch of the land of Islam will be liberated, the
State of Islam will be established…"
The Means: Jihad – a mandatory religious duty
"This is followed by the power of arms and weapons… This is the role of Jihad…a religious public duty… incumbent upon the Islamic nation. Jihad is a personal duty to fend off the infidels' attack on the nation…"
…"First, we call upon you [the youth] to believe in yourselves, so you will know your status, so that you firmly believe that you are the masters of the world, even if your enemies desire your degradation"
"The youth should know that the problems of the Islamic world, such as Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, or the Philippines, are not issues of territories and nations, but of faith and religion. They are problems of Islam and the Muslims, and they can be resolved neither by negotiation nor by recognizing the enemy's right to the Islamic land he stole. Rather, the only option is Jihad for Allah, and this is why Jihad is the way."
"The symbol of the [Muslim] Brotherhood is the book of Allah [the Quran] between two swords. The swords symbolize Jihad and the force that protects the truth represented in Allah's book."
"You should be prepared to answer the call of Jihad whenever you are called, in any region of the Islamic world. Our Islam is universal not regional, and all Islamic countries are one homeland.
Go out to battle, oh believers, young and old, by foot or on horseback, under all circumstances and
conditions"
Timing: Don't rush, prepare carefully for Jihad
"The [Muslim] Brotherhood will never rush after the youth's enthusiasm to carry out immature and unplanned actions, which will not alter the corrupt reality and may even harm Islamic activity, and will benefit the people of falsehood…"
"…it is not necessary for the Muslims to repel every attack or damage caused by the enemies of Allah immediately, rather [this is required] when ability and the circumstances allow for it."
"Prepare yourself and train in the art of warfare, and possess the components of power. You must learn the ways, manners and laws of war. You must learn them and embrace them and adhere to them, so that
your Jihad will be accepted by Allah."
"… every Muslim has an unavoidable personal duty to equip himself and prepare for Jihad…"
Jihad against Israel:
"Honorable brothers achieved Shahada (Martyrdom) on the soil of beloved Palestine, in 1947 and 1948, in their Jihad against the criminal, thieving gangs of Zion. The Imam and Shahid (Martyr) Hassan Al-Banna is considered a Shahid (Martyr) of Palestine, even though he was not killed on its soil."
“Allah has imposed the duty of Jihad on the Muslims, not as a tool for aggression or for achieving personal aspirations, but in order to defend the Da'wa (Islamic missionary activity), to ensure peace, and to fulfill the Muslims' greatest mission, which is to guide people to truth and justice…”
“On the topic of mercifulness during Jihad, Hassan Al-Banna said: Since the goal of the Islamic Jihad was the noblest of goals, the means employed were also the most excellent of means. For God has forbidden aggression. Allah has instructed the Muslims to have the utmost mercy. When they fight, they do not (instigate) attack, they do not commit immoral acts, they do not mutilate bodies, they do not steal, they do not plunder property, and they do not desecrate. [emphasis ours – Ed.]
Muslims do not come to harm because in their war they are the best warriors, just as in their peace they are the best peace-lovers. In addition, it is forbidden to kill women, children and the elderly, or to finish off the wounded, to provoke monks, isolated people, and peaceful noncombatants. What a great difference between that compassion and the suffocating attacks and horrible atrocities [carried out by] the civilized [ones] Where does their international law stand in relation to this all-encompassing divine justice? Then, Hassan Al-Banna turns to Allah and says: Allah, instruct Muslims in their religion, and save this world from this darkness through the lights of Islam.”
