Description
Book SynopsisHasan al-Banna (1906 – 1949) was an Egyptian political reformer, best known for establishing the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organisation which today has millions of members and spans the Arab world. Through his ardent struggle to revitalise Islamic values amid increasing Westernisation, al-Banna promoted Islamic charity and personal piety throughout Egypt, becoming a powerful political force until his mysterious assassination. In this well written and impartial biography, Krämer gives a detailed account of al-Banna’s life and work.
Table of ContentsIntroduction
1 FAMILY BACKGROUND, EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER
Rural Piety
Early Education
Encountering Sufism
At Dar al-‘Ulum
The Impact of the Capital
2 THE SOCIETY OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERS: 1928–38
Planting the Seed in Isma‘iliyya
Contestation and Suspicion
The Move to Cairo
Building a Base
Recruitment and Activities
3 ENTERING THE POLITICAL STAGE: 1938–49
Looking Beyond Egypt
Going Political at Home
Preparing for Jihad: Rovers and Battalions
Patrons without Clients? The Muslim Brothers, the Palace and Party Politics
The Second World War and its Aftermath
Post-War Growth and Expansion
The Special Apparatus
Breakdown: 1948–9
4 HASAN AL-BANNA: THE PIVOT OF HIS UNIVERSE
Between Shaykh and Efendi: a Social Profile
Islam Applied: an Intellectual Profile
What Went Wrong?
The Means of Change
On Unity and Community
Islam as a System
A Moral Order, or Creating New Islamic Man
The Virtuous City
A Moral Economy
A Charismatic Community?
Concluding Remarks
Endnotes
Bibliography
Index
