AN IDEOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF TWO ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONS IN EGYPT: THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND ISLAMIC GROUP

Abstract

Although the Muslim Brotherhood (al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun) and Islamic Group (Gama’a al-Islamiyya) have same origin, Egyptian, they radically differ in terms of ideologies and strategies they espoused. In spite of the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood exhibited, except Sayyid Qutb, mostly moderate ideas; the Islamic Group, after emerging in the mid-1970s as an offshoot of the Brotherhood, basically chose a radical and revolutionary vision until 1990s. Ideological convergence basically stemmed from their salafiyya root. Both viewed westerners and westernized elites in Egypt as corrupted and rejected the idea of secularism. Their prescription to these problems was also same; to return to real and genuine roots of Islam; namely Quran and Sunna. Nevertheless, divergence stemmed particularly from their ideologies which were principal determiner for distinct strategies. It should be mentioned that the Islamic Group maintained radical stance firmly until the declaration of New Initiative in 1997. Since then, the Islamic Group transformed into a moderate and reconcilable movement and came closer to the ideology of Brotherhood. In this research, ideologies of two organizations were set forth by close examination of historical backgrounds and basic writings of the ideologues, then, in the light of findings, their approaches towards some basic concepts like democracy, Islamic state, women rights, secularism, relationship with the state and conception of jihad were compared. Results clearly showed that, the Brotherhood’s ideology prescribed “gradual” strategy whereas ideology of the Islamic Group necessitates a “radical” revolutionary one until 1997. Since then, it may also be argued that the Islamic Group melted into the Brotherhood given its moderate stance and inactive position in 2000s.