English

2015

Egypt: the Muslim Brotherhood at a Croassroad

Introduction

This is certainly not the first time the Brotherhood has had to reinvent itself. A first re-founding of the Muslim Brotherhood took place after the death of its charismatic founder, Hasan Al Banna, in 1947. On that occasion the Brotherhood remained without a General Guide – the highest office in a pyramidal organisation – until 1951, when Hasan Al Hudeybi was elected. This marked the beginning of a new phase that culminated in the hanging of Sayyd Qutb in 1966, following Nasser’s repression and the birth of the first jihadist groups.

Titre original : “Egypt: the Muslim Brotherhood at a Croassroad”

Introduction

Ce n’est certainement pas la première fois que les Frères musulmans doivent se réinventer. Une première refondation des Frères musulmans a eu lieu après la mort de son fondateur charismatique, Hasan Al Banna, en 1947. À cette occasion, les Frères musulmans sont restés sans guide général – la plus haute fonction d’une organisation pyramidale – jusqu’en 1951, date à laquelle Hasan Al Hudeybi a été élu. Cela a marqué le début d’une nouvelle phase qui a abouti à la pendaison de Sayyd Qutb en 1966, à la suite de la répression de Nasser et de la naissance des premiers groupes djihadistes.

Author(s)

Resources of this researcher

article

Political Islam: from Reformism to Jihadism

Article by Paolo Gonzaga published under the title Political Islam: from Reformism to Jihadism in the journal Annali di Scienze Religiose (vol. 13, 2020), within the monographic section “Religious ...

article

Catholics and Muslims for the environment

Original title : "Cattolici e musulmani in difesa dell’ambiente" In the encyclical Laudato si, Pope Francis addresses the greatest challenges facing humanity in astonishing harmony with the Isla...

article

Egypt: the Muslim Brotherhood at a Croassroad

Introduction This is certainly not the first time the Brotherhood has had to reinvent itself. A first re-founding of the Muslim Brotherhood took place after the death of its charismatic founder,...

publication

Islam in Movement. Between Reformism and Jihadism

Published as Islam in movimento. Tra riformismo e jihadismo (Ananke Lab, 2018), this book by Paolo Gonzaga explores the contemporary currents of political Islam. Egypt’s centrality in the developme...

publication

Exegesis of the Qur’an. Tafsir al-Jalalayn

Translated and introduced by Paolo Gonzaga (Istituto Italiano di Studi Islamici, Milan, 2016), this work is the first complete Italian translation of the Tafsir al-Jalalayn, one of the most widely ...

publication

Islam and Democracy. The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

Published as Islam e democrazia. I Fratelli Musulmani in Egitto (Ananke, Turin, 2011), with a preface by Franco Cardini, this book by Paolo Gonzaga traces the history of the Muslim Brotherhood in E...

Resources related toPolitical Islam

publication

The Muslim Brotherhood in International Relations: Roles and Outcomes

  • Wael Saleh

In this book published by TRENDS Research & Advisory (Abu Dhabi, May 2026), Wael Saleh, a member of Pluriel‘s coordination committee, examines the place and modes of action of the Muslim ...

videos

Interreligious Dialogue and Ethnic Nationalisms in the Balkans

At the invitation of PISAI (Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Rome) and Georgetown University, Ahmet Alibašić, professor of Islamic civilization at the Faculty of Islamic Studies...

publication

Islam and Muslims. Doctrines, Schools of Thought, and Current Trends

  • Michel Younès

Publication date: April 16, 2026. Islam, as a historical, religious, and civilizational reality, is difficult to define. It can be perceived as a form of political governance, an expression of fait...

videos

Aesthetics and politico-ethics of Islamic thought: for a new reading of Averroes

Paper presented at the 5th international congress of the University Platform for Research on Islam (Pluriel), held in Cordoba from 10 to 14 February 2026 on the theme "Ethics and Aesthetics in Isla...

publication

Sayyid Qutb. Architect of Radical Islamism

  • Mounia Ait Kabboura

The thought of Sayyid Qutb (1906–1966) has profoundly shaped a wide range of religio-political movements, from the Muslim Brotherhood to Salafi-jihadists, radicalizing political Islam and inspiring...

publication

God Is with Us: How Islam and Judaism Justify Violence

  • Haoues Seniguer

Long before October 7, 2023—and even more so since—certain politicized strands of Judaism and Islam have been creating conditions that legitimize, escalate, and sacralize violence in God’s na...

Couverture de l'ouvrage Political, Social, Religious and Economic Challenges in the Middle East and North Africa

article

Al-Azhar and Politics in Egypt in the Post-Arab Spring: Al-Azhar’s Position within State-Society Relations (2011-2021)

  • Mohamed Gamal Ali

Presentation This chapter analyses the transformations of al-Azhar's position within state-society relations in Egypt, from the 2011 revolution to 2021. A centuries-old religious institution, al-Az...

Couverture de la revue Contemporary Arab Affairs

article

The Politics of Family Laws in Egypt and Tunisia: A Comparative Study of State-Religion Relations

  • Mohamed Gamal Ali

Abstract Egypt and Tunisia share many historical, cultural and political commonalities, yet their state-religion arrangements differ markedly, particularly regarding the scope of religious referenc...