The Muslim Brotherhood restates position on violence and terrorism

Below is a statement by Dr. Mahmud Hussein Ahmad, Secretary General of the Muslim Brotherhood, released on April 8, 2014.

Once More
The Muslim Brotherhood
The Clarity of Position and Firmness of Principles

In parallel with the security onslaught waged by the military coup authority in Egypt against the Brotherhood, a media campaign is waged with the aim of demonise the group and stick false and fabricated accusations to it. The intensity of this campaign increases with the growth of the continuing popular rejection of the coup authority and with the continuation of the Egyptian people of their peaceful revolution in a bid to regain their violated rights and their usurped legitimacy despite all the repressive measures used against them including terrorism, murder and detention.

The Brotherhood, having been made sleepless by the deteriorating situation of the Ummah, has been prompted to to work tirelessly in order to change this reality. In doing so, the group has persevered as a consequence of the restrictions imposed on its members, in their wealth, sustenance, lives and children. Yet, it has always had confidence in the awareness and maturity of the peoples of its Ummah in realising the incredibility and falsehood of this campaign. This becomes particularly evident when one refers to what some of those involved in the campaign wrote or said about the movement on previous occasions.

One of the things we have learned in the school of the Muslim Brotherhood and from the conduct of its loyal men and sincere leaders is not to indulge in arguments that result in nothing apart from wasting time over things that are useless or of no benefit.

Out of dedication to this approach and to the emblem of the patient group and in observance of responsibility before God and out of respect for the right of our peoples to learn the facts without ambiguity, vagueness or distortion, we would like to reaffirm the following values and basic concepts, while praying that may we all heed the right track and be guided (Oh, my Lord, forgive my people for they have no knowledge):

• To start with, we are a group that derives its ideas, principles and way of life from Islam, the religion with which the Apostle of God, peace be upon him, came. We adopt an educational and training approach that revives consciences, strengthens piety and fear of God, purifies the souls and motivates them to cooperate over achieving goodness and piety, and we call to God’s way through wisdom and good admonition and reject compulsion and violence.
• The ideology and methodology of the group are based on the assumption that restoring the perfectness and comprehensiveness of Islam and accomplishing prosperity for the Muslim peoples depends on building the Muslim individual and the Muslim family providing them with the correct and comprehensive understanding of Islam in terms of methodology and conduct and enabling them to acquire good manners in accordance with the saying the Prophet peace be upon him: “I have only been sent to complement the most noble of manners” and his saying: “Compassion only adds to the beauty of things”. This has been the group’s approach calling to Allah through wisdom and good admonition.

The methodology of the group is based first on reforming the self followed by reforming the family and the society calling it to goodness in all its aspects. Perhaps everyone knows, by now, what the young men and women of the Brotherhood offered in this regard whether in the field of establishing schools, hospitals and charitable markets or in other fields. Foes testify to this before friends. Add to this what the Brothers also offered in the field of services when they served in the trade unions or in the municipalities or in parliament. No one could come up with a single shred of evidence to incriminate any members of the Brotherhood with unlawful acquisition of wealth or with benefiting oneself or ones relatives rom any of these fields.

1. The methodology of reform and change that is adopted by the group is based on calling to the way of God through wisdom and good admonition. This derives from the Quranic verse: “Call to the Way of Your Lord through wisdom and good admonition” as well as from the Quranic verse: “Repel with that which is fairest; then, only then, he between whom and you there is enmity will be as if he were an intimate constant patron.” The Brotherhood’s activity and struggle against corruption and despotism relies on absolute peacefulness and renouncing all forms of violence while enduring in that cause what befalls it of harm, incarceration, murder, torture and oppression.

The group always inculcates within its members the belief that human life and human blood are sacred. This derives from the Quranic verse: “That of anyone slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people. And if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” God the Almighty also said: “If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein for ever, and the wrath and the fuse of God are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him.” The Messenger peace be upon him said: “Your blood, youth wealth and your honour are unlawful to violate”. He also said: “The loss of the world is easier in the eyes of God than the murder of a single Muslim person”. We believe that a believer’s life is more sacred than the Kaabah itself.

Whoever espouses this creed, it would be impossible for him or her to harm any person even if harm is inflicted upon him or her by that same person. Our slogan in dealing with those he oppress us from amongst our brethren is: “If you stretch you hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against you to slay you, for I do fear God, the Cherisher of the Worlds”.

The Brotherhood members were subjected in prisons in 1954 and 1956 to brutal torture that led to the death of several of them. After they were released from prison they could see their tormentors and torturers walk before them in the streets and alleys. Yet, they never sought to harm them verbally or bodily in anyway. History has recorded the word constantly uttered by third Murshid (Guide – meaning leader) of the group, the late Omar Al-Tilmisani, whenever former President Gamal Abd Al-Nasir was mentioned. Despite the fact that he ordered him to be incarcerated and tortured, he always said after saying his name: “May God have mercy on his soul”.

So was the case with the fifth Murshid the late Mustafa Mash-hur. When some of his brothers suggested he should take legal action to ask for compensation for what he suffered of torture and long imprisonment, he always refused and affirmed that he only endured for the sake of God and that he sought no reward or reparations from anyone but God. This has always been the position of hundreds of Brothers.

This was and still is the position of all the Brothers. Perhaps everyone remembers the unjust media campaigns waged against the captive president Dr. Muhammad Mursi when he was in power. The campaigns targeted him personally and targeted his family with lies and fabrications. He remained patient seeking none but the Pleasure of God inspired by the Quranic verse that says: “Oh my Lord, forgive my people for they have know knowledge.”

Of late, thousands of Egyptians were murdered, including many members of the Brotherhood, the massacres perpetrated at Rabia and Al-Nahda as well as elsewhere. No member of the group, s a consequence, carried arms to fight back. Thousands of their leaders were detained and were subjected to different types of aggression. Yet, none of them resorted to violence to defend himself.

2. When the unjust media campaigns fall short of evidence and of facts to support their claims, they resort to pointing to events from the past although foes before friends had already testified that such events were baseless and that attributing them to the Brotherhood was nothing but lies let alone the testimonies of those who were in power at the time and the well known positions of the Brotherhood during the same period in the forties and the fifties (of the 20th century).

When some of the Brotherhood members were forced to flee Egypt as a result of the campaigns of abuse, oppression and torture in the fifties and the sixties and ended up settling in various parts of the world, they were and they still are examples of loyalty and endeavour to build and establish progress in the countries that received them in various field without ever intervening in their internal affairs. This is still the policy of the Brotherhood and this is what they will continue to adhere to.

When the Brotherhood was subjected to mass detention campaigns during the era of President Hosni Mubarak affecting around fifty thousands of its members some of whom were tried and sentenced before military courts and were tortured and their properties were seized, they never resorted to violence and they did not have in their possession a single piece of weapon. They maintained their peacefulness.

Former President Hosni Mubarak himself testified to this. In a statement to French newspaper Le Monde, on the occasion of his visit to France in 1993, and which was reported in Al-Ahram newspaper editorial on 1 November 1993, he said: “There is an Islamic movement in Egypt that prefers political struggle to violence. This movement has entered some social institutions and have managed to win trade unions elections such as in the Medical Syndicate, the Union of Engineers and the Bar Associations.”

The testimony of the Egyptian Minister of Interior

The president of the republic was not the only person from within authority who confirmed that the Brotherhood has no connection to violence and terrorism. Former Interior Minister Hasan Al-Alfi said the same in a press conference whose details were published on 14 April 1994. Asked about the relationship of the Brotherhood with Islamic Jihad or Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiyaah, the two organisations accused by the regime of using violence at the time, he said: “The brotherhood is a group whose members do not perpetrate violence, that is in contrast to terrorist organisations.” This was published in Al-Gomhuriyah and Al-Ahram newspapers on 14 April 1994.

The testimony of a United Nations expert

The same was confirmed by experts and specialists in this failed on top of whom was Egyptian international terrorism expert at the United Nations Brig. Ahmad Jalal Izziddin who was appointment as member of parliament in 1995 by President Mubarak being one of members the President of the Republic had the authority to appoint. In a long interview about “terrorism and extremism” he granted to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa, he said: “The Muslim Brotherhood is a religious and political movement that has no connection with terrorism and extremism.” He also said: “In the eyes of a large number of organisations that adopt violence the Brotherhood is considered a weak and spent organisation that is subservient and reconciliatory to those in authority.”

This was published in edition number 6560 of Kuwait Al-Anbaa published on 13 August 1994.

When violence spread in Egypt in the nineties, the Brotherhood condemned the violence clearly and unequivocally. There were numerous statements issued by the group denouncing violence and expressing the movement’s position with regard to this matter. All government owned as well as partisan newspapers in Egypt at the time published these statements either in full or in part. Consequently, none was left in Egypt lacking in knowledge about where the Brotherhood stood on violence. One of the most distinguished statements issued was that comprehensive communique released on 30 April 1995, in which it was stated:

“The Muslim Brotherhood have declared scores of times during the past years that in their political activism they adhere to the legitimate means and peaceful methods alone armed with the free truthful word and generous giving in all fields of social work. They believe that eventually it is the conscience of the Ummah and the awareness of its children that will act as a faire arbiter among ideological and political currents that compete honestly in the shade of the constitution and the law. Therefore, the Brotherhood renews its proclamation pertaining to the rejection of violence and compulsion as well as all forms of coup, which tear apart the unity of the Ummah. Such methods may provide perpetrators with the opportunity to jump over political and societal truths but they will never accord them the opportunity to be in concord with the free will of the masses of the Ummah. In addition, such tactics cause a huge crack in the wall of political stability and an unacceptable onslaught on true legitimacy in society.

The climate of repression, anxiety and disturbances that dominates the Ummah may have driven some of its children to carry out terrorist actions that horrify the unsuspecting citizens, undermine the country’s security and threaten its economic and peaceful life. Yet, the Muslim Brotherhood announce, without hesitation or paying lip service to anyone, that they absolve themselves of all forms and sources of violence and that they denounce all types and sources of terrorism. Those who shed the blood of the innocent or those that aid those who do so are all partners in sharing the guilt and are sinners. They are hereby demanded without any delay to revert to the truth, for a Muslim is, indeed, the one from whose hand and tongue people are spared abuse. They are reminded, as they indulge in what they are doing, of the teaching of the Messenger peace be upon him during his last Pilgrimage Sermon when he said: “Oh mankind. Your blood, wealth and honour are as sacred as this very day of this year of yours in this town of yours.”

As for those who deliberately seek to confuse the issues and unfairly accuse the Brotherhood of taking part in violence and of embroilment in terrorism – and in doing so they use as a pretext for accusing the Brotherhood its insistence on demanding that the government should refrain from responding to violence with violence and that it should abide by the provisions of the law and the judiciary, and that it should include in its study and remedy of the phenomenon of violence all causes and surrounding conditions and not be content with security confrontation – their claims are discredited by the Brotherhood’s clean record over many years during some of which the Brotherhood participated in legislative elections and served in parliament and during some of which they were excluded from participation. Yet, throughout the time, the Brotherhood remained adherent to the constitution and the law keen on restricting their weaponry to the free truthful word, striving with it in the Cause of God (fearing the blame of none).

As far as the Muslim Brotherhood is concerned, this is not a question of politics or manoeuvre but rather a matter of religion and creed until the Day of Judgement when they stand before their Lord (that day no wealth or children will do anyone any good except those who come to their Lord with an honest and sound innermost).

This excerpt was from a communique released by the Muslim Brotherhood on 30 April 1995.

On the external level, when the twin towers in New York were destroyed, the Muslim Brotherhood condemned that act of aggression right on the same day. Here is the text of the statement they released:

A communique from the Muslim Brotherhood regarding the attacks suffered by the United States of America

The Muslim Brotherhood, who have been horrified by what happened yesterday in the United States of America of killing, bombing and destruction and of attack on innocent civilians, would like to express their deep sorrow and sadness and to denounce in the strongest and most decisive terms these incidents which contravene with all human and Islamic values. Furthermore, they declare their opposition to any aggression on the lives of humans, on the freedom of nations and on human dignity anywhere in the world.

The Muslim Brotherhood
A communique issued on 12 September 2001

3. The unjust campaign of falsification and fabrication continues. Some of those embroiled in it accuse the Muslim Brotherhood of resorting to takfir (declaring others you disagree with to be apostates). Such a charge is made without a shred of evidence and without the exertion of any effort to refer to the facts of history, both recent and distant past. The founding Imam, may God bless his soul, laid the foundation for ten pillars for Bay’ah (paying homage or allegiance). The first of these is the pillar of Al-Fahm (understanding), which is underlined by twenty principles including: “Never label as unbeliever (kafir) any Muslim who has confessed the two declarations (shahadah) of faith, acts accordingly and performs the obligatory duties of Islam because of an opinion or a sin unless he clearly professes the word of unbelief, refuses to acknowledge a fundamental principle of Islam, denies an explicit fact in the Qur’an or interprets its text in a manner that is inconsistent with the rules of Arabic grammar, or commits an act that cannot be interpreted but as one of disbelief.”

For more than 86 years, the age of the Brotherhood’s mission, no one ever accused the Brotherhood of resorting to takfir or has been able to prove that they ever did. In fact, when some members brought up the issue inside prison where they were severely tortured, the second Murshid the late Hasan Al-Hudaybi confronted them and published what amounted, a guiding reference of considerable significance in the political thinking of the Brotherhood and Islamic activism in general, a book entitled: “Preachers not Judges”. He took the stand of giving those individuals the choice of either adhering to the methodology of the Brotherhood or leaving it. The Brotherhood has, since, been adherent to this approach and will, God willing, remain so, neither deviating from it nor changing it.

4. The campaign directed against the Brotherhood has tried another trick claiming that the method initiated by founder and leader the late Hasan Al-Banna was sound but the leaders of the brotherhood at present have deviated from it.

To those that make such a claim we say with all due respect that for more than eighty six years and until this very day the group has only sought to please God and therefore it would never inculcate its members but to always remain as individuals and as leaders adherent to the method of the Messenger peace be upon him, a method that is characterised by moderation, middle ground position and concurrence with the collective comprehension of the authentic and authoritative scholars of Islam throughout history. It was such scholars who preserved this religion and protected its purity and clarity, and leader Al-Banna was one of them. We shall never stray away from this path praying to God that He may enable us to remain steadfast and guided.

5. And finally, one of the fundamental bases upon which the work of the group has rested and which determines the path it has pursued since its establishment until this very day and until such a time when God wills is that there are specific principles and clear concepts according to which the comprehension and activity of the Brotherhood are guided. This is not an individual personal opinion but rather a Brotherhood methodology. Therefore, whoever strays away from it chooses for himself a path that is different from that of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Whoever claims to belong to the Brotherhood must adhere to this methodology and behave accordingly. Should he call for something different that would be construed as choosing to take a path that is different from that of the Brotherhood, and therefore he would no longer be a member of the Brotherhood and the Brotherhood would have nothing to do with him irrespective of what he says or does.

We hope that this is a sufficient clarification and an absolution before God to those who have hearts and minds. “Our Lord! Decide between us and our people in truth and you are the best to decide”

May Allah protect Egypt from All dvid
God is Greatest and All Praise is to God

Dr. Mahmud Hussein Ahmad
Secretary General of the Muslim Brotherhood
8 April 2014