Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt Opposition Party, In The Spotlight During Protests

In media coverage of the ongoing protests rocking Egypt, the phrase "Muslim Brotherhood" has cropped up more than once. Who is this group, and what role are they playing in the protests?

The Muslim Brotherhood, also known as Ikhwan, is an officially illegal Islamist opposition party that has been suppressed in Egypt since Gamal Abdel Nasser's government took control in 1952. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has "alternatively repressed and demonized the Brotherhood or tolerated it as an anti-communist and right-wing opposition," according to Bruce Riedel of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy.

Founded in 1928 in Egypt, Foreign Affairs describes the group as "the world's oldest, largest, and most influential Islamist organization." The group has earned itself enemies on both ends of the political spectrum: from jihadists due to their belief in democracy and from Western nations due to their critical stance on American foreign policy. According to the group's English language website, the group was founded in order to achieve "the independence of the Muslim land from foreign domination, and the establishment of an Islamic sociopolitical system (unitiy of ummah)."

In the current protests, the Brotherhood is playing a small role. While some political commentators have issued warnings, the group "insists it is little more than a bit player in the outpouring of resistance to the regime of President Hosni Mubarak," reports the Washington Post. As the New York Times noted, the current protests are being led by a youth movement. That report quoted Egyptian scholar Emad Shahin as saying, "The Brotherhood is no longer the most effective player in the political arena. If you look at the Tunisian uprising, it's a youth uprising. It is the youth that knows how to use the media, Internet, Facebook, so there are other players now."

Despite this reportedly minimal role, members of the organization have been rounded up and arrested. The Brotherhood has also joined in the protests, expressing its support for the protestors and signaling its willingness to work with Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, while the Egyptian government has warned protestors of the group's "hidden agenda." However, ElBaradei has countered that the Mubarak government uses "its Islamist opposition as an excuse for authoritarian rule."

You can follow the latest updates on the protests in Egypt here.

Comments

[Writing4mylife]

08:06 PM on 01/31/2011

Allowing the Muslim Brotherhood would he a huge and game changing mistake. It is truly chilling to think that Egypt could wind up controlled by a group that has long and deep ties to terrorism, counts known terrorists among its influential members, and has an agenda that embraces and accepts violent Jihad against any who defy Islam as a reasonable and just means to spreading militant Islam. This group has made very clear thier intentions and goals of Sharia as the dominant form of Law and Governance, and desire to install Islam into dominance over all of the mideast and eventually the world.

It would be foolish and dangerous in the extreme to begin associating this group with democracy and unjustly repressed citizenry. They are nothing of the sort.

While Egypt would be wise to instill a greater and more valid democracy, allowing groups like the Muslim Brotherhood to exploit the desires of these long oppressed citizens in their quest for Islamic dominance is not an option.

Given the choice between toppling Egypts current regime and replacing it with one backed by the MB, and keeping the status quo, I would choose the latter. At least then we would not have yet another militant Islamic state gaining the power and resources of an entire country to use against the rest of the secular world.

[ElBruce]

05:07 PM on 02/01/2011

Whaddaya mean "allowing?" Looks to me like we don't have much say in the matter.

[Zutroy]

07:20 PM on 02/01/2011

"Allowing" the Muslim Brotherhood... what a grossly arrogant turn of phrase.

Has it occurred to you that Egyptians are fed up with taking direction from the West. There's nothing to "allow", because demonstrations against a pro-American autocrat are inevitably going to be anti-American in character.

[genialityofevil]

06:55 PM on 01/31/2011

They believe in democracy but are demonised by the Western governments because they oppose America's foreign policy. Well I believe in democracy and oppose America's foreign policy. Does that make me a terrorist too? 'Scuse me, that's the doorbell....THUD!!

[pray4words]

06:52 PM on 01/31/2011

Now. let keep focus the people want free elections, jobs, price for food reduced, jobs...I have no understanding of what the Muslims Brotherhood stands for --all I want for Egypt is peace, security and prosperity the same I want for myself and others that desire perfection--

I want all just to wait and listen to the MB party and see what they are about--I do not this nation to repeat what happened in Iran and South America...ifyour are familiar with these events...take a deep breath and wait observe and pray for the right words

[genialityofevil]

06:59 PM on 01/31/2011

I agree, it's all too likely that the American administration will panic at the name and not look at the beliefs or policies of the group.

[martintillier]

03:51 PM on 01/31/2011

Looking at Al Jazeera's news page I was struck by the image of an old woman in Egypt holding up a drawing of Hosni Mubarak to the camera, Mubarak is drawn with a star of David on his forehead and Arabic text around his head. The linking of Mubarak with the symbol of Judaism reveals a sub-text to the narrative of the apparently democratic, would-be liberators of Egypt. The meaning is clear, Judaism is regarded as an evil, Mubarak, in being portrayed with the Star of David on his forehead is regarded as representative of that alleged evil, and as such the would-be liberators of Egypt are displaying their prejudices quite openly and the intent behind the rhetoric of the opposition is revealed. I am not alone in recognising that there is a very real danger that any democratic freedoms that many Egyptians have yearned for, will be unrealised once Mubarak is deposed or otherwise forced out, and that the Egyptians may well find they have swapped one despotism for another. If that turns out to be true, and the new regime is also antagonistic towards Israel, then the troubles of the Egyptians will have just turned a corner into a new desperation and conflict that will not serve their fledgling democratic aspirations at all, but will replace the bad with the worse, and probably bring them another, presumably, hopefully, unwanted war, with Israel.

[kurtvb]

05:01 PM on 01/31/2011

I have also been on Al-Jazeera's web sight and they are reporting that the Egyptian Embassy is making arrangement with Israel for planned exile after the Saudi's rejected the same overture.

[ATurtle]

08:21 PM on 01/31/2011

Hate to tell you but they are most likely using the star of David as a symbol of the state of Israel and not of Judaism generally. Israel (and the US) have long been big supporters of Mubarak's regime and vice versa. The level of cooperation that Mubarak has shown toward Israel in the US is not one that is generally supported by the people of Egypt. The statement of that image isn't one of "Judaism is evil" but "Israel has more control of our government than we do." I don't think that's accurate but it certainly isn't some anti-semitic propaganda piece.

[palotin]

02:48 PM on 01/31/2011

I was amazed by how well done and up to date the Muslim Brotherhood website appears to be. Clearly, hiring someone to create and maintain a website is not proof of advanced or widely disseminated technological literacy, but I think analysis would do well to avoid the two common blunders that A) equate computer know how with youth and B) assume technophilic youth prefer secular cosmopolitanism to a more religious world view.

[fsadfsadf]

02:32 PM on 01/31/2011

Muslim Brotherhood created by British Intelligence:
http://m.topix.com/forum/world/singapore/TO7CKPL7NRF1QKSEV

[huffy04]

05:55 PM on 01/31/2011

I hope your kidding, it doesn't say anything like that, get your facts straight next time.

[pomegrante]

06:19 PM on 01/31/2011

Great post/link fsadfsad.

[BigTex12]

02:24 PM on 01/31/2011

Poor excuse of reporting. This bio claims the the MB are minor players in this. However one of their leaders Mohamed Ghanem told Al-Alam (Iranian TV) that Egypt should stop pumping gas to Osreal and get the Egyptian Army ready for war with their neighbor. Doesn't sound like a minor player to me.

[media4me]

01:09 PM on 01/31/2011

Prez Obie's cousins are a bit irritated aren't they?

[Muaz AlThaarique]

12:42 PM on 01/31/2011

Im sorry to say, most of you guys know nothing about muslim brotherhood and ultimately Islam. You are in no position to comment as it would mislead people the same way you have been misled. How many of you have truly learn and trying to understand Islam in a sense of having to learn from primary resources and taking it in context. Don't you think 1.4 billion Muslims are so stupid? It could be that you, yourself have not found the true meaning of Islam. If It Is Extreme, It Is Not Islam!.

[disintaGreatNation]

01:06 PM on 01/31/2011

Yes to freedom. No to shariah.

[media4me]

01:14 PM on 01/31/2011

When the majority of the 1.4 billion Muslims start denouncing the walk up to a crowd, backpack bombers, then I'll try to understand them better.

[disintaGreatNation]

02:07 PM on 01/31/2011

If they did "start denouncing" such violence, how would you know?

[stopoil]

01:20 AM on 02/02/2011

they are scared. more muslims have been killed by al-quaida, and other such organizations, than anybody else worldwide. the word "muslim" has been falsely linked to evil, along with socialism for some reason, when in reality both are good things.
side note: whats going on in egypt is amazing. its time for the youth of the world to take back what belongs to the people. stop believing the crap the people in power tell us. all our policy makers, local, state, federal, worldwide, only care about one thing: retaining power for themselves and their friends. their friends being the special interests that got them there in the first place. its not a democrat or republican thing. voting doesnt do a damn thing. parties have too much power. its up to us, the PEOPLE of the world need to unite. lets use this internet thing to communicate with each other. start putting initiatives in place. the more we drive our cars, the more power they retain. the middle class is killing itself with our need for the latest and greatest consumer products. the more money we spend, the more they get back. food for thought.

stop using oil!

[bridgeman]

07:18 AM on 01/31/2011

If the "Muslim Brotherhood" seize power expect Egypt to enter into another dark age.
very sad....

[Christopher Koulouris]

06:26 AM on 01/31/2011

Ultimately what is at stake is the citizen’s of the mid east ability to garner some economic prosperity and mobility and quash the oppressive divide that has worked to date to engender US and entrenched mid east’s interests. But from the US’s point of view what is really at stake is their ability to retain US hegemony and the sale of a McDonald’s sponsored cheese burger at some future date. How the US reacts to EGYPT will be unconditionally tempered by this fact.

http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2011/01/us-hegemony-and-the-crises-called-egypt/

[Balzac]

11:45 PM on 01/30/2011

From the article: Founded in 1928 in Egypt, Foreign Affairs describes the group as "the world's oldest, largest, and most influential Islamist organization."

It appears "Islamist" means it's an explicitly political organization with Islamic roots. I'm sure the organization has its merits, but obviously there are limits to its appeal.

The advocacy of Islamic egalitarianism can be a stabilizing influence, creating opportunity, or it can be destabilizing influence by taking away the vertical dimension from society and economy, making society more brittle.

Insufficient egalitarianism is one problem. Sometimes the problem can be the mere expectation of more egalitarianism than there is. A flattened society is not necessarily a happier, more prosperous society.

However much vertical dimension a society has, there must be a base-line of sustenance, security, and opportunity. This base-line standard of living is the most important thing. After that is guaranteed, more vertical dimension is better for happiness in society.

I'm pretty sure a sweeping revolution by Islamic populism in the middle east is not in the cards, because people are simply not inclined towards a flattened society without any vertical dimension. It isn't human nature and will not happen, regardless of this movement in Egypt.

[IntelligentDiscussion]

10:52 PM on 01/30/2011

If the Muslim Brotherhood in anyway takes hold in the Egyptian government, I would fear the worst for the Middle East as a whole.

[Hasnayn]

02:21 AM on 01/31/2011

Why?

[twoyg2]

03:46 AM on 01/31/2011

Because FOX told them too

[hershobr]

12:17 PM on 01/31/2011

Because they're terrorists.

[wizedollars]

10:42 PM on 01/30/2011

The Muslim Brotherhood has been politically irrelevant for decades and make up barely twenty percent of eligible voters at best. There's nothing here, move on folks....

[TalkAndACT]

11:03 PM on 01/30/2011

~~Error~~ The statement above bears no resemblance to facts.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is outlawed and still holds twenty percent of their lected offices.

The Muslim Brotherhood is alive and well.

In 2008, the first deputy chairman of the [outlawed] MB in Egypt, Mohammad Habib responded in interview, to the question about the view it will perish in the coming twenty years:
"On the contrary, I see the future is ours, and we will reach our aspirations. The group is gaining every day more territories and a depth in the consciousness of the Egypt people. Add to this the group is not confined to Egypt, has offshoots in various countries all over the world, it continuously grows, achieves more successes at all levels..." further remarks about the advantages of decentralization, flexibility, every country having its own entities for its own context, problems, circumstances..

The MB's plan is a 100 to 200 year plan.

wizedollars, may I suggest you do some further reading?

[media4me]

01:16 PM on 01/31/2011

Wize$ is too busy listening to Rachal, Chris, and Ed.

[sixtoes]

10:29 PM on 01/30/2011

I can't say if it would be a good thing or not if the MB came to power in Egypt. But I do know that they have been got out of the way so ElBaradei can take over. How do these things happen?

[TalkAndACT]

11:15 PM on 01/30/2011

How do you know this? Neither the secularists nor the MB has an upper hand.

From what I am finding on the wires, it is not even clear at this time that the current plans to return the CSF ("police") to the streets won't lead to chaos. The leadership is taking great risks. Upsetting the delicate calm between military and protesters with the reappearance of the CSF could engender a full scale conflagration between all three - CSF & Military & protesters.

[sixtoes]

12:33 AM on 01/31/2011

How do I know? Because Mubarak had all the leaders of the MB arrested. Why would he do that, when he must know that would make it much, MUCH easier for ElBaradei to step in?