The Brothers

There has been a lot in the news lately about an organization called the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Westerners typically have little understanding of Islam and the Muslim belief system. The tendency is to lump all Muslims into the same pile because it’s easier to handle that way. But that’s not being entirely fair. In this article I will offer a brief history of the Brothers; and then how they operate in conjunction with Israel, and their designs on the United States. Follow with me as we look into this organization.

The Muslim Brotherhood was formed in Egypt in 1928, and is the oldest Muslim organization in the world. It is formally known as “The Society of the Muslim Brothers,” but is more often referred to as Al-Ikhwān, The Brotherhood or MB. The media in reporting about this group, coupled with our government representatives, are all over the board when it comes to identifying this group. Are they radical Muslims, or are they more moderate, even leaning toward peaceful coexistence with the West? I don’t know, because it really depends on what you read and hear. Somewhere, as in most such cases, the truth is obscured.

The founder of the Brotherhood was Hassan al-Banna, a scholar and teacher of Islam. The Brotherhood's stated goal is to instill the Qur’an and Sunnah as the "sole reference point for ... ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual, community ... and state". The Qur’an (anglicized: Koran), of course, is the holy book of Islam. The Sunnah is “an Arabic word that means habit or usual practice. The Muslim usage of this term refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam. The Sunnah of Muhammad includes his specific words, habits, practices, and silent approvals. It is significant to the spirituality of Islam because it addresses ways of life dealing with friends, family, and government.”

A number of groups have split from the MB over the years, frequently complaining that the MB was not willing to be violent in enforcing Islam and Islamic teachings. “The Brotherhood condemned terrorism and the 9/11 attacks, but whether or not it has ties to terrorism is a matter of dispute.” They have been criticized by no less than Osama bin Laden, who accused them of betraying “Jihad.”

While many Muslim organizations call for violence against Jews and Israel, the Brotherhood in Israel, known as the Islamic Movement, is broken into two parts. In the north of Israel, the Movement is more radical, boycotting all Israeli elections; whereas their more moderate southern counterpart actually has a seat in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

The Muslim Brotherhood has been active in the US since the 1960s. "Its stated goals have included propagating Islam and creating havens for Muslims in the US, and integrating Muslims. A main strategy has been dawah or Islamic renewal and outreach. In the 1960s, groups such as U.S. military personnel, prison inmates and African-Americans were specifically targeted for dawah."

In the early 70s I was back in school at the College of Alameda (CA) after my four year hitch in the Marine Corps. It was there that I ran into a group of these Black Muslims. These men had been recruited while serving time in prison. I had a lively, organized debate with them for three days in an African-American History class. They were in close alliance with the Black Panthers who were also on the campus. It was an encounter that I will not likely forget!

The goal of the Muslim Brotherhood in the USA is: “Enablement of Islam in North America, meaning: establishing an effective and stable Islamic Movement led by the Muslim Brotherhood which adopts Muslims’ causes domestically and globally, and which works to expand the observant Muslim base, aims at unifying and directing Muslims’ efforts, presents Islam as a civilization alternative, and supports the global Islamic state wherever it is.”

Disturbingly, deeper in this document, the goal of the Brotherhood is explained in detail. Settlement is defined in this manner: “The process of settlement [of Islam in the United States] is a "Civilization-Jihadist” process with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that all their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ their miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for Jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes, and there is no escape from that destiny except for those who choose to slack.”

Organizations in the U.S. started by activists involved with the Muslim Brotherhood include the Muslim Students Association in 1963, North American Islamic Trust in 1971, the Islamic Society of North America in 1981, the American Muslim Council in 1990, the Muslim American Society in 1992, and the International Institute of Islamic Thought in the 1980s. Make no mistake! Muslims are here in the United States in ever-increasing numbers, it is purposeful, and it is by design.

There is so much more to know, but perhaps this will help open your eyes to what this particular group of Islamists is planning for America and the world.