The Muslim Brotherhood and its influence on Somali Islamism

[The`Republic]

It is very true when they say the Muslim Brotherhood is the most important Islamic movement across the Muslim world.

The Muslim Brotherhood was the one main group behind the rise of political Islam in Somalia and when the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt broke up into two groups based on political strategy, so too did Somalia's Islamists.

1. There became the group led by Ayman Al-Zawahiri; these guys are militant and uncompromising (they are now part of Al Qaeda). In Somalia they were the Al Itihad Al Islami and the current Hisbul Islam (now part of Al Shabaab). This group is virulently militant.

2. Then there is the second Muslim brotherhood group which is what we consider Muslim Brotherhood today and this group chose not to be militant instead choosing to accept democracy and non-violent systems and work within it to advance Islamist goals. Their counterpart in Somalia is foremost Al Islah. This group is very socially conscious.



Now that the Muslim Brotherhood has reached the pillar of Egyptian official control, expect their counterparts in Somalia to be extremely empowered particularly the social conscious types who wish to champion a puritanical spirituality in Somalia through socially-conscious movements. They are already a potent business force as Somalia analysts have observed.

Personally I think spiritual Islamists in Somalia who are peaceful and choose the route of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt are the best hope of Somalia as a bulwark against virulent militancy and extremism on one hand and decadence and corruption from secularists on the other hand.

[Hyperactive]

good observation about al ikhwan, but im not familiar with itihaad. who they are and what their is their political views?

[waryaa]

I think Al Islah can be part of a greater coalition. They have that flexibility others like Shabab don't.

[Hyperactive]

ooh is islah? i never heard about them. i heard itihaad but i am i know nothing about them.

[The`Republic]

Hyper-

Before Al Shabaab, Hisbul Islam, and ICU, there was Al Itihad Al Islami; the godfather of armed militant Islamism in Somalia. They represent the Ayman Al-Zawahiri branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Today those remnants not wishing to have fingers pointed at them call themselves "Al Ictisaam" but really Hisbul Islam represented their political strategy.

They came to be based in Bari in the early 90s but were expelled by Ethiopians and Abdullahi Yusuf. Then they set up base in Gedo region and Ethiopia invaded three times to remove them. After they were removed from Gedo, Hassan Dahir Aweys and the rest fled to Lower Merka, Barawe, and Mogadishu to set up the Islamic Courts. They were behind the assassination attempt on Mubaarak of Egypt while Ethiopia in 1996.

It was set up by Sheikh Mohammad Haji Yusuf who, I believe, lives in your country of Qatar now?

Ethiopian invasions to dislodge them

Ethiopian Army Attacks 3 Towns in Border Region of Somalia
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
Published: Saturday, August 10, 1996

Ethiopian troops, tanks and helicopter gunships have crossed the border into western Somalia and attacked three towns, killing scores of people, a Somali Muslim fundamentalist faction charged today. Workers for a Kenya-based Western relief organization confirmed the attack.

High-ranking officials of a Somali group called the Union of Islam said two battalions of Ethiopian troops with tanks and helicopter gunships had seized the Gedo region of southwestern Somalia in fighting on Thursday night and this morning.

The group said that the troops, tanks and helicopter gunships had swept through the towns of Dolo, Beled-Hawo and Lugh, and that the fighting was continuing.

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/10/world ... malia.html

[The`Republic]

ooh is islah? i never heard about them. i heard itihaad but i am i know nothing about them.

Look at the diagram very carefully.

Al Islah is basically the exact Somali version of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt today. They are not armed and do not wish to be involved in war. They are quite educated most of them; their ranks are actually on average more educated then most Somali groups religious or not. They are very socially conscious and like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt take care of orphans, build schools, etc.

Many armed Islamists in Somalia looked down on them as sellouts or not "pure" for not wanting to pick up arms but it is exactly that which makes them very suitable candidates for mainstream acceptance.

[Hyperactive]

very educational to me. im ignorant about somali politics be islamic politics or others.

[The`Republic]

Inshallah you can help us with aqeedah and I will help by observing how men have divided themselves in spite of it

[Hyperactive]

i tell you why i would stay away from somali islamic politics too cause there is no transparent, every one agenda bo sida no respect for leadership. so aniga danka da3wada iku halee

[Niya]

Hyperactive,there are excellent articles about the history of Political Islam in Somalia in the archives of Wardheer News website. One of the articles is written by AbdiRahaman Badiyow - member of Al-Islah and a current presidential candidate.

[Hyperactive]

Niya, i will check it out inshallah. im not into politics f any kind now but who knows in the future. i will be learning it inshallah.

thank you.

[AbdiWahab252]

No difference between Al-Islah or their offspring Al Shabab. Al Islah are the more devious as they orchestrated the rise of Al Shabab and couldn't control their offspring who began to ask why their parents were too moderate. The Al Islah and co. are also very tricky in how they infiltrate society through welfare schemes to win public support and target the most vunerable: the poor and children.

One of the few things I supported Marxum Maxamed Siyaad (AUN) on was his zero tolerance towards the deviants Today, the deviants are everywhere in all segments of society. In the few areas, they have yet to penetrate, they are setting up welfare schemes to capture the minds of the younger generation.

[Somaliman50]

political islam in somalia is far more complex than you would think. the militants themselves were divided into al ictisaam and alshabaab, though al ictisaam are not a paramilitary anymore. then we also have the ASWJ a recent sufi phenomenom who are armed. we also got the salafiyah jadiidah, a group of saudi apologists who are always against the notion of jihad. there was also a somali tafkiir wal hijra group but they're now defunct. al islah is very modern and secular on a comparative scale. some of their ideas were rumoured to be anti jilbaab and against arabic studies in somalia etc.

[Advo]

If there is a Muslim Brotherhood equivalent group in Somalia, count me in

I am against using violence as it never has solved anything in our country and you guys already know my stance on the corrupt secular parasites.

Nothing better than an educated, globally aware, god fearing, political savvy group. You have to know how the world works and play the smile game inorder to advance in todays society.

[FAH1223]

Somalis aren't really pragmatic. The Ikhwan in Masr have been for the last few decades. Somalis are just one head of steam... my way or the highway... and there also isn't a Abdel-Nasser, Sadat, or Mubarak to put these groups into submission for them to try new strategies. It is open season in Somalia and a group like Al-Islah has no weight in current circumstances. You need guns, you need an army, skill, and men to take over the country.