1. Origins (1928–1940s)
Founded in Egypt (1928) by Hassan al-Banna, a young schoolteacher.
Goal: Revive Islam as a comprehensive system of life (religion, politics, economy, society).
Early work focused on grassroots activism: building mosques, schools, charities, and clinics to fill gaps left by colonial and secular governments.
Slogan: “Islam is the solution.”
By the 1940s, it had spread widely, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers.
2. Rise and Repression (1940s–1950s)
The Brotherhood became politically influential, opposing British colonial presence and corrupt Egyptian elites.
They created a secret apparatus (al-jihaz al-sirri) that engaged in violent resistance, including against British forces in the Suez Canal Zone.
In 1948, Egyptian Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Nuqrashi banned the group; weeks later, he was assassinated by a Brotherhood member.
In 1949, Hassan al-Banna was assassinated in retaliation.
3. Nasser’s Crackdown (1950s–1960s)
After Egypt’s 1952 revolution, the Brotherhood initially supported Gamal Abdel Nasser but later clashed with him when he pursued secular nationalism.
In 1954, after an alleged assassination attempt on Nasser by a Brotherhood member, he banned the group and launched a massive crackdown:
Thousands imprisoned, tortured, or executed.
Sayyid Qutb, a leading Brotherhood ideologue, radicalized in prison.
His writings (Milestones, In the Shade of the Qur’an) argued that modern societies lived in jahiliyya (ignorance, like pre-Islamic times) and must be re-Islamized — ideas that later inspired jihadist movements.
Qutb was executed in 1966, becoming a martyr figure.
4. Survival and Expansion (1970s–1980s)
Under President Anwar Sadat (1970–1981), the Brotherhood was tolerated somewhat, as Sadat used Islamists to counter leftists.
The group rebuilt itself, focusing on universities, professional syndicates, and charities.
In 1981, Sadat was assassinated by jihadists inspired by Qutb’s ideas, but not directly linked to the Brotherhood.
Under Hosni Mubarak (1981–2011), the group was still officially banned but allowed limited activity.
They ran candidates as independents in elections, gaining influence in parliament.
5. Arab Spring & Short-Lived Power (2011–2013)
The 2011 Egyptian revolution toppled Mubarak.
The Brotherhood’s political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, won elections.
In 2012, Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood leader, became Egypt’s first democratically elected president.
Morsi pushed for an Islamist-influenced constitution, which alarmed secularists, liberals, and Christians.
His government faced economic crises and mass protests.
In 2013, the military (led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi) ousted Morsi in a coup.
6. Post-2013: Decline and Repression
After the coup, the Brotherhood was declared a terrorist organization in Egypt.
Thousands were arrested or killed (notably in the Rabaa massacre, August 2013).
The group fractured — some members pushed for nonviolence, others for more radical responses.
Many leaders fled abroad (Turkey, Qatar, Europe).
7. Global Network
Despite repression in Egypt, the Brotherhood remains influential through affiliates:
Jordan: Islamic Action Front.
Tunisia: Ennahda (which has moved toward moderation).
Morocco: Justice and Development Party.
Palestine: Hamas originated as a Brotherhood branch.
Western governments are divided: some view it as a moderate Islamist force, others (like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE) label it terrorist.
🌍 Today
The Brotherhood is weaker than it has been in decades, especially in Egypt.
Its vision of gradual Islamization through democratic participation has lost momentum after the Arab Spring backlash.
Yet, it remains a symbolic and ideological reference for Islamist movements worldwide.
✅ In short:
The Muslim Brotherhood’s story is one of grassroots activism, political struggle, repression, and global influence — moving from charity networks to briefly holding power, then facing harsh suppression again.