Between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Government of Egypt

11/2E

Between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Government of Egypt

After the success of the negotiations and the announcement of a truce in the violent dispute between the Brotherhood and the Revolutionary Government in Egypt, a fierce race began between the two to attract extreme religious Islamic elements and establish an Islamic State.

The Muslim Brotherhood had concentrated its efforts and pinned its hopes on the Islamic Conference which was held in Jerusalem and the ensuing permanent bureau and committees. This Council's Chairman is Mr. Sa’īd Ramaḍān (Said Ramadan), the Muslim Brotherhood’s second in command after the Supreme Religious Guide and his well-known assistants. As the Council's renown and influence spread throughout the Arab world, the Revolutionary Government in Egypt started taking its decisions very seriously. It sent envoys, such as Minister al-Baqouri, al-Sagh al-Shafe'i, and Anwār al-Sādāt (Anwar al-Sadat), to Arab and Islamic countries to put in a good word for the Islamic Conference - as opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood Conference - to be held in Jerusalem to discuss the situation of Muslims and their political causes.

At the end of his tour, Minister Anwar al-Sadat came to Lebanon upon the invitation of the Makassed Islamic Philanthropic Association to convince Islamic religious leaders and societies to participate in the Islamic Conference, which is being organised by Egypt.

Before his arrival, the Egyptian Minister was given a list of individuals and societies affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood in order for him to contact and convince them to work for the Islamic Conference due to be held in Jerusalem. There are also several efforts in Beirut to mediate between the Brotherhood and the revolutionaries among whom are al-Fadeel al-Ouartalani who is in Beirut; and Sami Beik al-Solh, who is a friend to both the Brotherhood and the revolutionaries; and others. The Egyptian Government is trying to resolve the problem of the Muslim Brotherhood at this sensitive juncture because it is the only force, active among the Egyptian and Arab people in general, that could seize such opportunities to affect the fate of the Revolutionary Government. Efforts at resolving the issue and at bringing about reconciliation have advanced considerably as had implementing the practical steps, which in fact means the Brotherhood's support for the Egyptian Army's position vis-a-vis Israel and re-establishment of the fedayeen ‘terror’ groups. Among the expected results is also the Brotherhood's participation in these armed activities through irregular military forces modelled along the lines of regular armed forces.