The Sun Sets On Al-Banna: Arabs Just Incapable Of Reading Their Past?
13 February 2013By Mshari Al-Zaydi
Two days ago, Islamic jurisprudence and Egyptian
Muslim Brotherhood expert Gamal al-Banna, brother of
Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna, passed
away.
He left our world at the age of 93. Early on in his
life he distanced himself from his brother's
organization. He was never openly hostile towards the
MB but nor did he disappear into their ranks like his
nephew, Seif al-Islam Hassan al-Banna.
Sheik Gamal distinguished himself as a capable scholar
of Islamic jurisprudence and made significant
contributions to political and social fields including
the relationship between religion and the state, the
empowerment of women, and interacting with
non-Muslims. All of his contributions were far removed
from the hard-line MB rhetoric that claims to speak
for all of Islam.
This fact did not endear Sheik Gamal to the MB in
Egypt and elsewhere. They approached the brother of
their imam and founder with caution and forbearance;
however they never openly disparaged him or attacked
his works. He was never outwardly hostile towards them
and always spoke of his brother's personality and
message with esteem and reverence. However this was
not enough to prevent some harsh commentary from
‘unofficial' MB members regarding Gamal al-Banna's
judgments on legal and theological issues and his
critiques of MB practises.
All of Gamal al-Banna's works in the fields of
jurisprudence and exegesis are held in high regard,
however these undertakings were not his most prominent
and definitive accomplishment. Others before, after,
and contemporaneous to Gamal al-Banna have made more
noteworthy contributions to the aforementioned fields.
In my assessment, Gamal al-Banna's greatest
contributions are his documentations of the history of
the MB as it navigated the societal and political
vagaries which characterised Egypt over the past 80
years. He captured and detailed how a young boy
watched his brother, Hassan al-Banna, establish the
foundation of the MB, an organisation which has left a
significant mark on both the Muslim mind and Muslim
society.
Gamal al-Banna's last works included several chapters
from his book entitled ?The Unknown Documents of the
Muslim Brotherhood.? I believe that this type of
writing and composition must be emulated and embraced
by all who endeavor to preserve for posterity the
formative moments of our contemporary political
culture.
We in the Arab world live in a place where literacy is
a privilege. Coupled with extreme poverty, it becomes
a simple task to deceive the public and the media, and
restructure the memory of times past to suit the
interests of the rulers of the present. Meanwhile
writers refrain from documenting and publishing, some
out of caution and others out of disgust and despair
over the current situation, unconvinced of the valance
of writing to a society that does not read and does
not intend to read.
Gamal al-Banna aside, many writers must document and
write before they too pass on, not only regarding this
provocative and enigmatic organization, but so as to
preserve the posturing, promises, and events history
produces.
Do we suffer from selective amnesia? Or are we just
incapable of reading our past?
A Saudi journalist and expert on Islamic movements
and Islamic fundamentalism as well as Saudi affairs.
Mshari is Asharq Al-Awsat's opinion page Editor, where
he also contributes a weekly column. Has worked for
the local Saudi press occupying several posts at Al -Madina
newspaper amongst others. He has been a guest on
numerous news and current affairs programs as an
expert on Islamic.
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