1. Hassan Al Banna
(1906-1949)
Life and creation of the Muslim
Brotherhood

2. Early life: Parents
He was born the year British There were quite poor and
occupied Egypt; were disillusioned by the lack
Father was an imam and a of adherence to Islamic
masjid teacher – Hanbali principles in the cities of Egypt;
order; respected in They opened a watch repair
community; shop as well as a gramophone
Mother’s family was a family of and gramophone record shop;
learned people, her brother selling recitations of Arabic
was faqih (someone who poetry, songs praising the
recites the Quran by heart); prophet and Quran recitation;

3. Early Life: Hassan Al Banna
Shaikh Ahmed insisted on When he was 12 he left the
religious education for his boy school because Shaikh Zahran
but was unsatisfied with the left as well, and he continued
education offered locally; his education at the
Soon enough, Shaikh Zahran – government school;
Shaikh Ahmed’s mentor – At an early age already, he
opened a new school and demonstrated strong attitudes
Hassan started studying with towards moral values and
him; preservation of “untainted”
Islamic practices;

4. Encountering Suffism
Shaikh Ahmed followed a Sufi Hassan received an
order – Hanbali; appointment to teach at a
Hassan goes to study at school in Mahmoudiyya, which
Damanhur where he joins the he turned down;
Hasafiyya Brotherhood; He moved to Cairo while
1923 he graduates from remaining a member of the
Damanhur elementary Hasafiyya Brotherhood;
teacher’s training school, top He graduated from Dar-al-Um
in his class; in 1927 with excellent scores;

5. Building Groundwork for the Muslim Brotherhood
Hassan moves to Isma’iliyya;  Name Muslim Bortherhood
Preaching in coffeehouses; was picked simply because
Wrote articles in al-Faqh – they considered themselves
Cairo based newspaper; brothers in the service of
Islam;
Young Muslim men of modest
background take interest in his Teachings of Hassan al-Banna
ideas and decide they want to were always more focused on
form a brotherhood with him the general calling of Islam
as their leader; rather than specific practices;

6. Muslim Brotherhood: Expansion
Donations were mostly given It provided three-tier
by members themselves, with education;
exemptions for those who Soon after a school for girls
could not afford; was also opened;
Very quickly a school for boys 1930s – The Muslim
was opened; Brotherhood acquired legal
School was based on many recognition in order to attract
different European-based third-party donations;
educational theories such as Maintained good relations with
that of Montessori; the Coptic community;

7. Muslim Brotherhood: Long-Term Focus
Muslim Brotherhood was built Ideology was largely based on:
to survive dramatic personnel Salafi reform, Sufism, Egyptian
changes; nationalism, and contemporary
Based on a three-part European ideologies;
doctrine: It was a popular
indoctrination, institution movement, not just for the
building and establishing elite – which gave it its unique
loyalties; character of that time;
Wanted to remain independent Recruitment was largely
financially not to appear through personal contact;
influenced by any party;

8. Death and Impact on Islamic Thought
He was assassinated in Cairo It appears that the teachings
after leaving the Muslim of Al-Banna did not endorse
Brotherhood headquarters violence – as he was against
with his brother-in-law; any exaggerations in Islam –
Grandfather of Tariq Ramadan which could mean that the
– Swiss born writer, poet – members were radicalized
now teaching Contemporary through government
Islamic Studies at Oxford; sponsored prison and torture;

9. References:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011
/02/09/opinion/09iht-
edramadan09.html?pagewante
d=all;
Gudrun Kramer, Hasan al-
Banna (Oxford:
Oneworld, 2010);