# Hassan al-Banna

> Egyptian Islamist leader and politician (1906—1949)

**Wikidata**: [Q230291](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q230291)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_al-Banna)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hassan-al-banna

## Summary
Hassan al-Banna was an Egyptian Islamist leader, politician, and writer who lived from 1906 to 1949. He is best known as the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, a global Islamic organization that became a primary reference for numerous Islamic groups and played a pivotal role in shaping political Islam in the 20th century.

## Biography
- **Born**: October 14, 1906 (also cited as 1906-01-01)
- **Died**: February 12, 1949
- **Nationality**: Egyptian (citizen of the Ottoman Empire, Sultanate of Egypt, and Kingdom of Egypt)
- **Education**: Faculty of Dar Al-Uloom, Cairo University
- **Known for**: Founding the Muslim Brotherhood and advancing Islamic political activism
- **Employer(s)**: Teacher (occupation)
- **Field(s)**: Politics, Religious Leadership, Writing, Preaching

## Contributions
Hassan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt on March 22, 1928. The organization, originally headquartered in Cairo (from 1932 to 2013), grew into a global Islamic organization serving as a primary reference for many Islamic groups. As a prolific writer, he authored notable works including *Milestones* (also known as *Ma'alim fi al-Tariq*), *Fi Zilal al-Quran* (In the Shade of the Quran), and *Towards the Light*. His work established a decentralized religious congregation model that influenced political and religious movements across the Muslim world.

## FAQs
**What was Hassan al-Banna's role in the Muslim Brotherhood?**
Hassan al-Banna was the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, establishing the movement in Egypt on March 22, 1928. He served as its primary leader until his death in 1949.

**What educational background did Hassan al-Banna have?**
He was educated at the Faculty of Dar Al-Uloom at Cairo University in Giza, Egypt.

**What were Hassan al-Banna's notable literary works?**
His notable works include *Milestones*, *Fi Zilal al-Quran*, and *Towards the Light*, which have significantly influenced Islamic political thought.

**Who influenced Hassan al-Banna's thought?**
His intellectual development was influenced by key Islamic thinkers including Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, Muhammad Abduh, Rashid Rida, and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.

## Why They Matter
Hassan al-Banna matters because he fundamentally reshaped the landscape of Islamic political activism in the 20th century. By establishing the Muslim Brotherhood, he created a model for religious organization that combined social services with political advocacy, setting a precedent for future Islamist movements globally. His synthesis of religious scholarship with anti-colonial political resistance influenced subsequent leaders like Sayyid Qutb and Abdullah Yusuf Azzam. Without his organizational efforts and writings, the trajectory of political Islam in Egypt and the broader Middle East would have been markedly different, lacking the structured grassroots mobilization that defined the era.

## Notable For
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood (inception March 22, 1928).
- Egyptian Islamist leader and politician.
- Author of influential texts: *Milestones*, *Fi Zilal al-Quran*, *Towards the Light*.
- Graduate of the Faculty of Dar Al-Uloom, Cairo University.
- Key figure in 20th-century Islamic revivalism.
- Subject of extensive bibliographic records (VIAF, ISNI, Library of Congress).

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Hassan al-Banna was born on October 14, 1906, in Egypt, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. His early life occurred during a period of significant political transition, spanning the Sultanate of Egypt (1914–1922) and the subsequent Kingdom of Egypt. He pursued higher education at the Faculty of Dar Al-Uloom at Cairo University in Giza, an institution founded in 1872. This education equipped him with the credentials to work as a teacher, a role listed among his primary occupations.

### Founding of the Muslim Brotherhood
In 1928, Hassan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. The organization was established on March 22, 1928, and quickly grew into a significant Sunni Islamist movement. The Brotherhood's headquarters were established in Cairo in 1932 and remained there until 2013. Under his leadership, the group developed a decentralized structure focused on religious congregations and associations, eventually becoming a global organization that serves as a primary reference for many other Islamic groups.

### Literary Works and Scholarship
As a writer and author, al-Banna produced several works that remain central to Islamic political discourse. His notable works include:
- ***Milestones*** (also known as *Ma'alim fi al-Tariq*): A seminal political treatise.
- ***Fi Zilal al-Quran*** (In the Shade of the Quran): A comprehensive Quranic commentary emphasizing political and moral dimensions.
- ***Towards the Light***: A work outlining his vision for Islamic revival.
These texts have been cataloged extensively in global libraries, including the Egyptian National Library and Archives.

### Intellectual Lineage and Influences
Al-Banna's thought was heavily influenced by a network of earlier Islamic reformers and activists. He is noted as being influenced by:
- **Jamal al-Din al-Afghani**: The political activist and Islamic ideologist known for pan-Islamic unity.
- **Muhammad Abduh**: The Egyptian Islamic jurist and liberal reformer who worked to reconcile tradition with modernity.
- **Rashid Rida**: The Syrian Muslim scholar and reformer who continued the legacy of Abduh.
- **Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab**: The Saudi scholar and eponym of the Wahhabi movement.
This lineage places al-Banna within the broader current of Islamic revivalism, bridging 19th-century reformist thought with 20th-century political activism.

### Political and Social Role
Al-Banna operated as a multifaceted public figure, holding roles as a preacher, teacher, writer, and politician. His work with the Muslim Brotherhood emphasized social welfare and political engagement, seeking to address the challenges of colonialism and modernization in Egypt. His political activities took place within the context of the Kingdom of Egypt, where he mobilized a mass movement that challenged the existing political order.

### Connections to Key Figures
Hassan al-Banna is historically connected to a network of significant Islamic figures. His influence extended to later leaders such as **Sayyid Qutb**, the Egyptian political theorist who further developed the ideology of the Brotherhood. He is also linked to **Abdullah Yusuf Azzam**, the Palestinian Sunni Islamic scholar and Salafi jihadist, and **Ahmad Yasin**, the Palestinian political and religious leader. These connections highlight his role as a progenitor of modern Islamist movements.

### Death and Legacy
Hassan al-Banna died on February 12, 1949. His death marked the end of the founding era of the Muslim Brotherhood, but his legacy endured through the organization's continued influence. He is remembered as a human, a member of *Homo sapiens*, who left a permanent mark on the religious and political history of Egypt and the wider Muslim world. His life and work are documented across numerous international databases, including Wikidata, VIAF, and the Library of Congress.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Dictionary of African Biography
3. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hasan-el-benna)
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. CiNii Research
7. Lingua Libre
8. CONOR.SI
9. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
10. Catalogue of the Library of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
11. NUKAT
12. AlKindi
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
15. Quora
16. Enciclopedia Treccani
17. LIBRIS. 2012
18. Dizionario di Storia
19. Treccani Philosophy