Hasan al-Banna: Icon of Contemporary Muslim Mujahideen (HAMAS)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

This study is proposed to explore Hasan al-Banna’s struggle for independence in Palestine. He devoted his life to bring up the good name of Islam and Muslim world particularly. He championed the issue of Palestine, one of Muslim’s holy places which had been colonized by conspiracy of silence between Britain and the Jews. His Jihad’s movement along with Ikhwanul Muslimoon cannot be erased in Muslim’s history. Even though Hasan al-Banna needed to pay his Jihad with his martyr, his spirit never die where Muslims started to open their eyes to unresolved Palestinian crisis. After 102 years, Hasan al- Banna’s spirit of jihad in Palestine continues up to this day. Therefore, this study is conducted to explore new Mujahideen movement-Hamas.

1.2 Problem Statement

This study intends to compare between Ash-Shaheed Hasan al-Banna’s jihad movement and Hamas in Palestine.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study is designed to achieve the following specific objectives.
To clarify the concept of jihad in Islam.
To identify the similarity and differences between jihad of Hasan al-Banna and Hamas in Palestine.

1.4 Significance of the Study

“No Doubt, Allah has purchased the lives and the wealth of the believers, from then, as Paradise is for them. They fight in the way of Allah. So they kill and are killed. Allah has a firm guaranty-in the Torah, Injeel and Qur’an. And who could be a greater keeper of promises than Allah? Therefore, be happy at the deal which you have made and this is a big success.” (9:111
From this verse, I feel very impress to know the struggle of As-Shaheed Hasan al-Banna and his influences to the soldiers of Allah particularly Hamas to liberate Palestine from colonization by the Western-Jewish. In this vein, this study is intended to generate knowledge about Muslims’ efforts to protect the holiness of Islam from being humiliated by the evil colonizers.

1.5 Limitation of the Study.

The study will be limited in its scope. I will discuss briefly Hasan al-Banna’s life background and his Jihad movement to free Palestine. In addition, I will also trying to compare his jihad movement with a new movement called Hamas in Palestine.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

There are a lot of analysis and writings on Hasan al-Banna and his Islamic Movement. The same goes to Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) in Palestine. Many aspects have been discussed by the analysts, but I founds it lacks in terms of the relationship between Hasan al-Banna’s influences over HAMAS in regard to Jihad in Palestine.

Maszlee Malik (2006) had discussing a lot of HAMAS as an offshoot of Ikhwanul Muslimoon founded by Hasan al-Banna. However, he did not compare the jihad pattern by HAMAS and Hasan’s Ikwanul Muslimoon in Palestine.

Ridhuan Mohd Nor (2007) mentioned about Hasan al- Banna‘s struggle during his lifetime but touch a little over jihad in Palestine and its continuity of his efforts by HAMAS.

Furthermore, comparative writing both of them also hard to be found and almost not available in Internet.

Most of the analysts have discussing about them separately and just explaining about the relationship at a glance. Therefore, I found it is interesting to compare both of Hasan-al-Banna and HAMAS’ pattern of jihad in Palestine and its relationship. In this simple research, I attempt to find similarities and differences both of them. I also try to connect how Hasan al-Banna can be regarded as an icon to HAMAS movement.

3.0 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

This study is rely heavily in sources from books, journals, magazine and internet to gain information and understanding about Hasan al-Banna’s background and his jihad as well as HAMAS.

In a way to produce this study, I have used several methods;
Method of History: to get a well background of the subjects of the study and their development.
Method of Analysis: to analyze all data from various sources to prove the interrelationship between Hasan al-Banna and HAMAS and their concept of jihad.

At the end of this study, I will compare between Hasan al-Banna striving in Palestine with HAMAS. This study touches much on the jihad by both of them in Palestine.

CHAPTER 1: HASAN AL-BANNA AT GLANCE

In this chapter, I am going to introduce shortly who are Hasan al- Banna and Ikhwanul Muslimoon. It aims to provide a general idea about him and his movement before I go further in explaining his jihad particularly in Palestine and his influence over HAMAS in the next chapters.

1.1 Hasan al-Banna’s Biography.

In 1906, October 17, a new baby boy was born in Egypt which later bring a great historical value to the contemporary Muslim world. He was Hasan al-Banna; a Muslim thinker, leader, reformer and founder of Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwanul Muslimoon). He had simple life as he came from the common people who worked on agriculture-based activities in his village known as Shamsyiran.

The son of Ahmad ‘Abdul Rahman al-Banna, he first got his earlier education in Kuttab where he used to memorize Al-Qur’an and learned tajwid. After he finished his primary school, he then furthered his study in Muallimin Al-Awwaliyyah and finally graduated from the Al-Azhar University in 1927 at 21. Hasan al-Banna very much in love to knowledge. That was why he established his own library that consisted thousands of books especially in social sciences, administration and political economy.

After finishing his study in Al-Azhar, he used to be a teacher in primary school in Ismailiyyah and later in Kaherah for almost 17 years. In 1946, he became a permanent journalist for Ikhwanul Muslimoon’s newspaper. In addition, he got his monthly income by being a publisher of As-Syihab magazine in 1947.

Hasan al-Banna fulfilled his time with beneficial matters. It can be justified by examining his life since his childhood. During his student’s livelihood, he involved in many religious groups at a very young age. First religious group he used to be a member known as Jam’at al-Suluk al-Akhlaqiyyah (Society of Moral Mobility). He joined the group when he was in primary school at 12. He spent his time wisely by involving in many religious activities. He also founded another organization namely Jama’at al- Nahy’an al-Munkar (Society to Forbid Evil). Besides, he also participated actively in Halaqat al-Dhikr (meditation Circle). Hasan al-Banna and his group’s association with the Meditation Circle resulted in the formation of a new vision and thought, thus forming another organization called Jam’iyyat al-Husaifiyyah lil-Bir (Husaifiyyah Society of Virtue) and he was appointed as secretary. Hasan al-Banna used all his experiences throughout his involvement of these societies to establish Ikhwanul Muslimoon (Muslim Brotherhood).

1.2 The Founder of Ikhwanul Muslimoon

Hasan al-Banna lived in a situation where Egypt was under English colonialism. Thus, her people eventually adopted western cultures and the light of Islamic culture dramatically lit faintly. It was indeed Hasan al-Banna’s awareness to the need of Islamic revivalism in Egypt particularly. Upon his knowledge and experiences during his involvement in societies during his student livelihood, he then pioneered the establishment of Ikhwanul Muslimoon. It was established in Ismailia in 1928. His supreme aim is to lead and to provide the real guidance to people and practical demonstration of Islam[1]. He struggled to fulfill this purpose throughout his lifetime wholeheartedly and then continued by his followers after his martyr. Ikhwanul Muslimoon basically struggles to bring the comprehensiveness of Islam as a way of life to the people at large. It was an Islamic movement focuses on every aspects of life of each individual socially, politically, economically, culturally, mentally, physically and spiritually. On the top of this, Hasan wanted to born a pure identity of individual Muslim who could portray the accurate image of Islam. He believed that it was an individual himself to change Muslim condition to be the best ummah in the eyes of the world.

Therefore, Hasan al-Banna very much concern in strong Islamic spiritual development in one’s inner self based on Al-Qur’an and As-Sunnah.

“Their virtue which we are in search of, its springs gust out from our inner self. That could not be found anywhere except in our own hearts. And the spring of the misfortune and ill-luck, with which are faced, is also inside us.” [2]
(Al-Banna, Fifth Conference 1347-1357 H)

Ikhwanul Muslimoon has some specialties which can be summarized as below.

1) To avoid the sites of the differences.

In the sight of Ikhwanul Muslimoon, differences cannot be avoided but they managed to avoid such differences by using wisdom. It was very upset if Muslims were split just because trivial matter. They put the goodness of Islam as the ultimate aim over personal interests.

2) Free from the control of the rich and the wealthy.

Ikhwanul Muslimoon aimed to serve people without any personal interests or profits involved. They were trained to serve their life for the goodness of Muslim Ummah and sought Allah’s pleasure. Therefore, any cooperation with the rich and wealthy people for their own benefits was not accepted.

3) No connection with political parties and organizations.

Every Muslims is a single brotherhood. Thus, Ikhwanul Muslimoon as an Islamic movement will not cooperate with any political parties or organizations that have personal agendas that could lead to the split of the Muslim Ummah as a universal brotherhood. In fact, political parties were imbued with feeling hatred to people who shaped by different political ideologies. This was indeed against Islamic teaching.

4) Pays attention to constructive work that fixes priorities in its activities.

Ikhwanul Muslimoon run its da’wah and jihad movement with systematic methods. All their activities run with effective and affective arrangement and they put priority the most important task to do. Generally, Hasan al- Banna trained his soldiers of Ikhwanul Muslimoon to work strategically by giving clear constructive steps. First, they call upon a huge number of Muslims to join their jamaah (ta’aruf). Then, they will select the potential ones who have spirit of jihad and organize them based on their potential abilities (takwim). Finally, the chosen ones will go through practical struggle which can bear responsibilities for the sake of Allah and Islam (tanfidz).

5) Prefer to practical and constructive aspect rather than propaganda and publicity and there are different motives behind it.

It suggests that practical was a better method of da’wah rather than create a propaganda and publicity without any action. It is because talking without action is a failure.

6) Young men’s participation.

Hasan al-Banna regarded young men as main sources of his Ikhwanul Muslimoon due to their high potential of spiritual courage to face challenges in life. Those young men are most welcomed and trained to bring out the task to free Muslims from being colonized by the Western.

7) Invitation to Islam is widely spread in town and cities.

Hasan al-Banna and Ikhwanul Muslimoon had created the greatest vision and mission to call people to the true path-Islam that transcends geographical boundaries. His movements actively worked in a variety of places like in Egypt, Syria and Palestine.

In brief, Ikhwanul Muslimoon founded by Ash-Shaheed Hasan al-Banna is a universal Islamic movement which brings the completeness of Islamic teaching to all people. Hasan was in fact an excellent strategist and he can be the best exemplar and icon to the Muslims movements throughout the world.

CHAPTER 2: HASAN AL-BANNA’S JIHAD MOVEMENT

In the first chapter, I have discussed briefly about Hasan al-Banna’s biography and his Jihad Movement-Ikhwanul Muslimoon. Generally, Hasan al-Banna was striving to call people to the divine religion of Islam as a way of life and to free Muslims from Western imperialism. Thus, in this chapter, I will focus on Hasan al-Banna’s idea of Jihad. This includes his basic concept and strategies of jihad and I will also give an example of his jihad in Palestine.

2.1 His Concept and Strategies of Jihad.

Jihad is one of basic teaching laid down by Hasan al-Banna. Jihad or struggle in the way of Allah goes along Islamic teaching mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Jihad is calling people into Islam and it can be either not involves in war (jihad through writing, delivering speeches and saying truth before tyrants) or jihad with war involvement. The later jihad was indeed happen not because Islam is a bloody border or religion of sword but, in fact it is to protect the da’wah missionary and to protect the Muslim ummah who is being violated by the anti-Islam Westerners. In addition, those who struggle in the way of Allah and martyr are pleased with the promised paradise in the hereafter. One of Hasan al-Banna’s writing touched on the obligation of jihad.

“Jihad is obligatory on every Muslim. Jihad has been made obligatory on every Muslim, by Allah. He has laid great stress on Jihad and has promised limitless recompense shall be such as would be especially for them or it would be for the people who would adopt their (martyrs) ways as a model for them and would wager their head and body, like them, for the sake of Allah. He has gifted them with such internal and external qualities which are particularly meant for them. He has made their clean blood a symbol of victory and little of honor and good fortune. Ahadies and useless persons have been given very mean and hateful names. They have been reprimanded on account of cowardice and avoidance of jihad and rebuked for faint-heartedness and shortcoming. In the world, there is dishonor for ever and in the next, the eternal punishment of hell, which would never end, even if they offer, a mountain of gold, as ransom. In His eyes, avoidance of jihad is the greatest sin and for the nation and people it is death.”[3]

Furthermore, da’wah missionary will not be succeeded if there is no spirit of jihad in Islamic workers. That is why, Hasan al-Banna really emphasized on tarbiyyah of his Muslim brothers. His jihad aims to produce Islamic resurgence of Muslims which cover seven aspects; reforming oneself, one’s family, one’s society, liberating Muslim society politically, establishing Islamic governance, re-establishing the Muslim ummah leading to khilafah (united leadership for Muslims), and providing leadership to the world to carry out the amanah (trust) of guiding people to the true path.[4] His strategies of jihad to achieve this aims were conducted gradually by giving excellent tarbiyyah upon each individual Muslims. He avoids using violence. He and his Ikhwanul Muslimoon only involved in war if their jihad on da’wah missionary were treated violently and their Muslim brothers’ rights have been exploited brutally as what happen in Palestine.

In addition, as to the stages of work strategies, Hasan al-Banna divided them into three stages such as ta’rif (introduction to the call), takwin (preparation of workers), and tanfidh (implementation of the message)[5]. These three stages are interdependence. It means that the da’ie is not only responsible to spread Allah’s message but also implementing its teaching before individual da’ie himself.
Finally, the true spirit of jihad is the outcome of those Muslims who achieve the stage of tanfidh. These people voluntarily work for Islam only for the sake of Allah and Islam. Their ambitions are to be among the martyrs (shaheed) of Islam. This is indeed the ultimate outcome of Islamic teaching laid down by Hasan al-Banna.

“Abu Hurairah (R.A.A.) stated that the holy prophet (PBUH) said, “ By the One in whose hand is my life, whosoever gets wounded in the way of Allah-would come on the Day of Judgement, in the condition that the colour would be the odour that of musk.” [6]
(Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, Nasi’e)

2.2 Jihad in Palestine

“And if the spirit of nationhood is that the country should be freed from the grabbers and efforts made to create the sentiments of freedom and elevation in the hearts of the young men of the country, we agree with that concept too. Rather, Islam has emphasized it. Allah the Great says:

“And honor is for Allah, His Prophet and the believers but the munafeqeen [people who posed as Muslims, but whose hearts were full of mischief] do not know.” (63:8)

Similarly He says:

“And Allah can never give an upper hand to the infidels over the believers.” (4:41)”[7]
Hasan al-Banna very much concern upon his Muslim brothers in Palestine. One of his jihad movements is to free Palestine from being colonized by the Western-Israel. Palestine has a special place in the heart of every Muslims. It is according to the Qur’an, a sacred and blessed land. It contains Al-Aqsa mosque, the first Qibla or direction of Muslim prayer, and the third most sacred mosque in Islam….From an Islamic perspective, it is the land of the Gathering and Resurrection and the centre of the abode peace. Anyone who inhibits this land is considered a mujahid-fighter in the way of Allah.[8]

The crisis of Palestine and Israel become hot issue when the Zionist movement attempted to establish a Jewish entity there. Likewise to Muslims, the Jews also regard Palestine as their promised land, the focal point of their history and the resting place of their prophets. The centers of their holy sites are in Jerusalem and Hebron. The Christians consider it the cradle of their religion, as Jesus (as) was born there and conducted his mission in it. The great centers of their religion are in Jerusalem, Benthelem and Nazareth.[9] Thus, it indicates that the colonialization on Palestine mainly due to religion-based agenda. Because of that, the Western-Israel used violence to conquer the Palestine and her people were severely suffered. The number of deaths continues to raise till today. It was a historical event where the evil Zionists announced the creation of their state “Israel” on 14 May 1948 illegally. This poor event upset the Muslim worlds. Muslims were humiliated and it is our responsibility to liberate Muslims in Palestine to bring back our dignity.

Hasan al-Banna was highly responsible to open the eyes of the people to the hidden agendas of the Western-Israel upon Muslim worlds peculiarly Palestine. Because of his awareness to the suffering of Palestinians, he devoted his life to the utmost to free Palestine. He managed to organize various activities like public speaking to encourage Muslims in Egypt to help their Muslim brothers in Palestine. He also sent his followers of Ikhwanul Muslimoon to mosques to convey messages of inhuman plans of the Western-Israel towards Palestinians. They collected funds to help in maintaining Palestine as a free Muslim land.

Hasan al-Banna also used another method to issue the public about crisis in Palestine. He wrote a book entitled “al-Nar wa al-Dimar fi Falastin (Fire and Devastated in Palestine.” This book portrays pictures and documents of British awfully occupation on Palestinian refugees.[10] In addition to it, Hasan al-Banna disseminated a vast numbers of articles contain a strong resistance towards the Western evil deeds in Palestine and opened up the propaganda of Israel there. The spreading of such articles succeeded in gaining Muslims’ attention at large.

To give stronger resistance to the Israel, Hasan al-Banna urged people to boycott Jewish magazines in Kaherah. He listed the magazines and at the bottom of the list, he wrote provoking statement as follow:

“Every qurusy (Egypt currency) you paid for these magazines will be put into Jewish’s pocket in Palestine that they used to buy weapons to kill your Muslims brothers in Palestine.”

Hasan al-Banna never satisfied to bring up the Palestine issue within Egypt solely. He struggle to bring the issue throughout Muslims’ countries specifically Arab world. He used to organize the first Arab world’s conference at main office of Ikhwanul Muslimoon in Kaherah. He invited all leaders from Arab countries and NGO to discuss the fate of their poor brothers in Palestine. At the end of this conference, they agreed to urge British to protect the rights of Palestinian and extremely oppose the establishment of ‘Israel’ state.

Furthermore, Hasan al-Banna’s efforts of Palestine crisis also shown in demonstrations that aims to attract people’s attention to the violation in Palestine. Many people in every parts of Egypt engaged to those demos especially members of Ikhwanul Muslimoon. They expressed their opposition to the British policy toward Palestine and their commitments and sympathy to their Muslim neighbors.

On the top of these efforts, Hasan al-Banna found that the best strategy to liberate Palestine was through war. It was the highest stage of Jihad. It was the time to translate the spirit of Jihad into action. He managed to send thousands of troops to Palestine. Hasan al-Banna was an excellent orator. He used his abilities to give sermons and speeches that were containing the divinity of being martyrs for the sake of Allah and Islam.
The spirit of jihad in Hasan al-Banna encouraged leaders of Arab countries to send a huge number of soldiers of Allah to Palestine. All of them aim to be the martyrs. Even though Hasan al-Banna and Ikhwanul Muslimoon was pressured by the British and resulted to the shut down of Ikhwanul Muslimoon in Egypt, he never stops. He inspired his followers to continue the jihad until no single Jew existed on the land of Palestine. Many followers of Ikhwanul Muslimoon martyr in the mission to liberate Palestine. Many of them who live were captured and punished brutally like Syed Qutb who sentenced to death and Zainab al-Ghazali. Hasan al-Banna also martyr in 12 February 1949 at 42 years old. The Muslim world lost the valuable diamond in Islam but his spirit of Jihad continues up to this day by a new contemporary Jihad movement to bring his mission to free Palestine and Islam as a whole. This movement named HAMAS.

CHAPTER 3: GET TO KNOW HAMAS

3.1 Background of Hamas

HAMAS stands for Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamic or Islamic Resistence Movement. HAMAS was formed in 8 Disember 1987 as an offshoot of the Palestinian brand of Ikhwanul Muslimoon in Gaza. Previously, HAMAS was known as Al-Mujama’. Its founder was Sheikh Ahmad Yasin, the head of Ikhwanul Muslimoon in Gaza. HAMAS founders aim to become directly involve in the intifada and ultimately gain control of the Palestinian movement.[11] The establishment of HAMAS was the continuity of the jihad movement of Ikhwanul Muslimoon in a new pattern of jihad.

The ideology of HAMAS is a synthesis of Pan Arab Islamic religious ideals and Palestinian nationalism. HAMAS want to establish Islamic state in Palestine and their covenant highly dependent on the Qur’anic teaching. Article 8 in its charter, HAMAS clearly state their slogan as noted below:

“Allah is its goal, the prophet its model, the Qur’an its constitution, jihad its path and death for the case of Allah its most subline belief.”[12]
As the name suggest, HAMAS seeks to discord the evil, crushing it and defeating it, so that truth may prevail, homelands returned to their owners, calls for prayer be heard from their mosques, announcing the reinstitution of the Muslim state. Thus, people and things will revert to their true place.[13] This holy objective inspires HAMAS to perform jihad as the best as they can. They strongly believe that only by performing jihad they can free Palestine and Islam as a whole. For them, Islam will not complete as long as Islamic state not yet established.

HAMAS started their jihad first as Islamic social workers, but later they decided to actively involve in politics. By joining politics, their jihad movement takes place in a wider field. In addition, their voice of jihad to free Palestine from Israel invasion will be heard by Muslims at large. January, 25, 2006 was the beginning of HAMAS new responsibility after being voted by majority that led them to be a new government of Palestine. It was shock news to political analysts. It just like the case of PAS and Alternative Front (BA) won election in several places over National Front (BN) in Malaysia in previous election. Palestinians want changes that cannot be fulfilled by previous government of Fatah. The people firmly believe that HAMAS can bring changes to let them enjoy peaceful life in their own country.

Furthermore, HAMAS victory over the Palestine election was due to several reasons. According to Dr. Azzam Tamimi, a director of Institute of Islamic Political Thought, jihad nature of HAMAS itself contributes a lot to their successful. HAMAS very committed in their jihad and will not even make any deal with Israel that could pledge Palestine as was the Fatah did that led to their failure. In addition, as being social workers in prior, they had contributed a lot to local people in terms of education, health, and welfare. Moreover, its members also well known as being sincere man, honest, good, trusted and professional in their works. Another factor is moderation of HAMAS. This principle of Islam has made Palestinians believed in HAMAS as they were tired of nationalists and secularists which could not bring anything but solely make the situation worst. Thus, it denotes that Islam is the best and true religion.

Finally, after HAMAS won the election and immediately formed a government, Israel has made tough pressures like economic sanction over people in Gaza. Besides, Fatah creates conflict with HAMAS. These scenarios tension the HAMAS. But, HAMAS never sell its dignity by follow their order. Palestinians give strong support even they are also suffering. For them, they have voted HAMAS, so they must be in behind HAMAS. It is our responsibility of Muslims country to help them anyway.

3.2 Jihadist Spirit of Hasan al-Banna in HAMAS

As been said earlier, HAMAS is an offshoot of Ikhwanul Muslimoon found by Hasan al-Banna. Its founder who also spiritual leader of HAMAS, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin was one of the follower of Hasan al-Banna. Therefore, it is cannot be deniable that the jihadist spirit of Hasan al-Banna was injected in HAMAS. The spiritual school (madrasah tarbiyyah) initiated by Hasan al-Banna has giving birth to many quality Muslims that really give the best exemplar to the next generation of Muslims. He had taught his followers within three stages; taaruf, takwin and tandfidz[14].

Even though, Hasan al-Banna had martyred, but his flame of jihad spirit continuously light brightly. The teaching of Hasan al-Banna is portraying by HAMAS movement. All his members were characterized by noble features based on Islamic teaching. They also very committed in their jihad as experienced by Hasan al-Banna.

The strong spirit they do possess should inspire and motivate us as Muslims to be as excellent as they are. If HAMAS struggle in politics to liberate Palestine, we need to struggle in our field like in education, technology and many more. Islam as a way of life is universal. Therefore, jihad is also universal. Do not rigid its meaning to go to wars solely. In regard to this, Dr. Ustadz Uthman El-Muhammady noted that:

“ …in the Qur’an itself, in the Meccan verse, “wa jahid hum bihi jihadan kabira” meaning “you strive with them with it” (namely with the message of the Qur’an in the Da’wa, hence relating to the striving with the nafs). Hence we can ask: which form of striving is great? Does the “jihadan kabira” or great jihad in the Qur’an refer to the external jihad you associate with weapons or going to war in the defense of the faith of the Islamic people? “wjahidhum bihi” means and you strive with them by using it. The word “it” here refers to the Qur’an and it does not refer to the sword of ‘saif’ because this is Meccan verse. So the Qur’an is calling the intellectual, moral and spiritual jihad of disseminating Qur’anic teachings (daawah) and making the Quran the fundamental element in prevailing in human society as the great jihad.”[15]

5.0 CONCLUSION

After a long discussion above, undeniable that Hasan al-Banna’s influences over HAMAS are very much interrelated. In article 2 in HAMAS covenant, it is noted that;

‘…the Islamic Resistance of the wings of the Muslim Brotherhood movement is a world organization, the largest Islamic Movement in the modern era. It is characterized by a profound understanding, by precise notions and by complete comprehensiveness of all concepts of Islam all domains of life: views and beliefs, politics and economy, education and society, jurisprudence and rule, indoctrination and teachings of arts and publications, the hidden and the evident, and all the other domains of life.’

Hasan al-Banna played a vital role to ‘install’ jihadist spirit among Muslims brothers who then involve actively in Harakat Islamiyyah/ Islamic Movements. His particular jihad in Palestine is continued by the HAMAS as primary front to fight against for Palestinians’ liberation. Thus, Hasan al-Banna can be viewed as an icon of the wake up of HAMAS via Sheikh Ahmad Yasin. In regard to this, there are several similarities and differences between both of them.

Since HAMAS is an offshoot of Hasan –al-Banna’s Ikhwanul Muslimoon, their method or pattern of jihad looks quite similar. To develop the best individual Muslim, both of them pay highly concentration on education among young generation (tarbiyyah). Their aim is to produce Muslims who submit to Islam solely as a way of life.

Besides, both Hasan al-Banna’s movement and HAMAS had started their movement as Islamic social workers first who functioning to preserve social welfare of the people. However, both of them then decided to be involved in politics solemnly. It was indeed their idealism to establish Islamic state. Through politics, they will be the Muslim’s voice and liberate the world of Muslim from foreign invasion politically, economically, intellectually and many more.

Nevertheless, in regard to Jihad in Palestine, Hasan al-Banna’s sent a battle of soldiers of Allah from the Arab world. It was indeed because of the tarbiyyah nurtured by Hasan al-Banna where many Muslims in previous ‘wala’ or take willingly and sincerely the calling of jihad over Israel in Palestine. The declaration of war against Israel was conducted in noble Islamic teaching like they cannot kill old people, children, women and those non-Muslims who did not fight with them. Besides, they were also not destroying the religious sacred places of the Jewish. However, Israel did the otherwise. That is the indicator that Islam is the religion which respect to others and not harmful as they were advocated to the rest of the world. In addition to it, Hasan al-Banna also asked all people to boycott all items or goods produced by the Israel and her alliances. Moreover, demonstration also a part of Hasan al-Banna’s striving to free Palestine.

Unlike to Hasan al-Banna’s movement, HAMAS uses more harsh method of jihad. ‘Suicide bombers’ pioneered by them was a big controversial issue that led to debates among world Muslim Scholars. According to Yusuf al-Qardhowi, suicide bombers can be imposed as the Palestinians have no choice. It is the only way of jihad to grasp back their land by evil Israel.

However, Dr. Ustadz Uthman El-Muhammady has different way to look the concept of jihad to other Muslims countries instead of using suicide bombing. He noted:

“Of course our attitude towards this phenomenon, should be, I mean I try to look at it personally, is that Muslim should refrain from taking this step, but rather they should take the painful struggle upwards to clarify the problems, to educate themselves, to build up their strengths spiritually, morally, economically, technologically and militarily so on and so forth. After gaining these strengths, it is easier to say ‘no’, to put our feet down and to combat the enemy’s bad intentions.”

-JIHAD FOR THE SAKE OF ISLAM-

6.0 REFERENCES

Ali Abdul Halim Mahmud, Perangkat-Perangkat Tarbiyyah Ikhwanul Muslimin
(Indonesia, Era Intermedia, 1995)

Hazin Farukh, Gerakan Islam Hasan al-Banna: Kepastian ‘amal Islami Menurut
Hasan Al-Banna (Kuala Lumpur: Al-Hidayah Publishers, 2002)

Maszlee Malik, HAMAS (Kuala Lumpur, PTS Millenia Sdn. Bhd, 2006)

Mohsen.M.Saleh, Basic Facts on the Palestinian Issue (London, Palestinian Return
Centre, 2001)

Muhammad Mumtaz Ali, Modern Islamic Movements and Model, Problems,
Prospects (Kuala Lumpur, A.S Nordeen, 2000)

Reach, Issue 8&9 (Dec. 2005/June 2006), Protectors of the Nation (Kuala Lumpur,
The Alumni and Career Services Division, IIUM)

Riduan Mohd Nor, Memperingati 100 Tahun Hasan al-Banna (Selangor, MHI
Publication, 2007)

S.A.Qureshi, Selected Writings of Hasan al- Banna Shaheed (Karachi, International
Islamic Publishers, 1983)

Zeenath Kausar, Contemporary Islamic Political Thought: A Study of Eleven Islamic
Thinkers (Kuala Lumpur, Research Centre of IIUM, 2005)

www.google.com
· www.fas.org./irp/world/para/hamas.htm. Accessed on May 08/20008







[1] S.A.Qureshi, Selected Writings of Hasan al- Banna Shaheed (Karachi, International Islamic Publishers, 1983), p. 169.

2. ibid. p.168.

[3] Ibid. p.31[4] Zeenath Kausar, Contemporary Islamic Political Thought: A Study of Eleven Islamic Thinkers (Kuala Lumpur, Research Centre of IIUM, 2005), p.204.[5] Ibid. p.205[6] Opcit.p.37[7] S.A.Qureshi. ibid. p.89-90.[8] Mohsen M. Saleh, Basic Facts on the Palestinian issue, (Palestinian Return Centre, London, 2001), p.3-4.[9] Ibid.p.9[10]Riduan Mohd Nor, Memperingati 100 Tahun Hasan al-Banna (Selangor, MHI Publication, 2007), p.18.
[11] www.fas.org./irp/world/para/hamas.htm. Accessed on May 08/20008[12] Ibid.[13] Ibid.[14] Please read in chapter 1,p. 6[15] Reach, issue 8&9 (Dec. 2005/June 2006), Muslim against War: the Concept of Jihad, p.28.Kuala Lumpur, the Alumni and Career Services Division, IIUM.