Hassan al-Banna

Hassan al-Banna was an influential Egyptian schoolteacher and Imam. He is best known as the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. This organization became one of the largest and most significant global Islamist movements. Al-Banna introduced a distinct modern ideology based on Islam. He viewed Islam as a comprehensive system of life. He believed the Quran and Sunnah should serve as the only acceptable constitution. His goal was the Islamization of the state, the economy, and society.

To achieve a just society, al-Banna proposed specific social and economic mechanisms. He advocated for the development of new institutions and the use of progressive taxation. He developed an Islamic fiscal theory centered on zakat. He believed zakat should be reserved specifically for social expenditure. This method was intended to reduce social inequality. Al-Banna also believed the state should enforce public morality. This could include censorship and the application of hudud corporal punishment. He encouraged Egyptians to abandon Western customs in favor of Islamic principles.

Al-Banna's ideology was built upon several distinct pillars. First, he criticized Western materialism and British imperialism. He also criticized the traditionalism of the Egyptian ulema, or religious scholars. Second, he promoted a specific type of patriotism. He appealed to Egyptian and pan-Arab patriotism. However, he rejected Arab nationalism. He regarded all Muslims as members of a single nation-community, or Ummah. Third, he believed in a revolutionary struggle. Following the abolition of the Caliphate in 1924, he called for preparation for armed struggle against colonial rule. He even allowed a secret military wing to form within the movement.

Al-Banna's early life in Mahmudiyya provided the foundation for his later work. He was born on October 14, 1906, in this rural Nile Delta town. His father, Sheikh Ahmed Abd al-Rahman al-Banna al-Sa'ati, was a prominent Hanbali imam and scholar. Sheikh Ahmed was famous for his work classifying the traditions of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. This work was known as musnad al-fath al-rabbani. Hassan studied in a village mosque under Sheikh Zahran. He later moved to Cairo in 1923 to attend Dar al-‘Ulum. This institution educated teachers in modern subjects.

The Muslim Brotherhood began through a specific sequence of events in Ismailia. In March 1928, six workers from the Suez Canal Company approached al-Banna. They complained about injustices caused by foreign colonial control. They appointed him as their leader to work for Islam through Jihad. This marked the official birth of the Muslim Brothers. Al-Banna used charismatic speeches in local cafes to reach the public.

This was a departure from traditional preaching in mosques. He used these social spaces to attract many young people to his cause.

The growth of the movement was massive and rapid. By the late 1930s, the Brotherhood had branches in every Egyptian province. By 1940, the organization had approximately 500,000 active members in Egypt. It also had many sympathizers across the country. The movement's popularity extended beyond Egypt to several other nations. Al-Banna moved the headquarters to Cairo in 1932 to manage this expansion. The movement grew by building schools, clinics, and various businesses. Members often organized into small cells called usar, which means "families."

Al-Banna's life was defined by his response to modern political shifts. He was deeply affected by the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924. He viewed this event as a "declaration of war against all shapes of Islam." He sought to synthesize the views of past revivalists, such as Rashid Rida. Al-Banna believed moral decay caused political and societal decline. He argued that Islam could solve the challenges of modernity. His life ended in 1949 when he was assassinated by the Egyptian secret police. Following his death, his son-in-law, Said Ramadan, emerged as a major leader in the 1950s.