Murder Becomes Doctrine: What Are the Similarities Between the “Assassins” and the Muslim Brotherhood?
The Egyptian Ramadan series “Al-Hashashin” has been sparking controversy since its inception, and notably, leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood have attacked the series, accusing it of distorting reality.
The events of the series, starring the Egyptian actor Karim Abdelaziz, have unveiled the approach of terrorist and takfiri groups since the days of the Assassins and the similarities in ideas between Hassan al-Sabbah, the founder of the Assassins, and Hassan el-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Egyptian journalist and dissident lawyer of the Muslim Brotherhood, Tharwat el-Kherbawy, spoke about the similarities between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Assassins sect, stating that both organizations agree on the principle of clandestine work, infiltration into societies, and secret recruitment of members.
He asserted that the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, especially the founder of the first organization, Sayyid Qutb, established an intellectual framework for legitimizing violence and extremism, which largely aligns with el-Sabbah’s approach. Both groups also agree to engage in armed action against rulers and institutions and work towards realizing a concept of caliphate based on the destruction of homelands and the disappearance of borders.
He also stated that both groups agree on what is known as “listening and obedience,” where Muslim Brotherhood leaders centrally manage the group and bind elements to comply with higher decisions. There is a famous phrase repeated within the organization which says: “The man of the Muslim Brotherhood is between the hands of his washer, like a dead man between the hands of the one who washes him.”
What unites the Muslim Brotherhood and the Assassins is the conviction that murder and bloodshed are part of the objectives of religion and are legitimate; not only that, but it is also pleasing to God, according to el-Kherbawy.
The series is considered a return to historical educational drama that reveals the most dangerous secret and military movements, famous for assassinations and terrorism, until the emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.
