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Learning from Adel ideologues of modern Islamist militant Road, but books on Islamic economics, theory. Hammouda argued that several Qur’anic commentary and social Hammouda’s Work militants—including those who plotted justice, it is highly probable that had on Militant Islamist Anwar al-Sadat’s assassination in 1981— Qutb lived, he would have most likely Movements were attempting to put into practice written manifestos that transformed Qutb’s theories. Some argue that al- his militant visions and theory into By Commander Youssef Aboul-Enein, U.S. Navy Qa`ida deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri is recommendations for direct action. an outgrowth of Qutb’s use of Islam to th seven years after the September 11, justify the complete rejection of 20 Among the first terrorists and Islamist 2001 attacks, it remains critically century Muslim society as corrupt, militants to operationalize Qutb was the important for Western analysts to study and the need to withdraw from society Palestinian Salah Sirriyya, who led a previous works on Islamist movements before forming a vanguard to lead a failed 1974 attempt to storm the Military by Arab writers. There are a number of militant Islamist revolution. Technical College in Cairo. Sirriyya’s Arabic-language books that can help theories can be reduced to the following provide insight into the thinking of Hammouda used his publication points: today’s Islamist militants. One such to criticize Egypt’s ulama (clerical author is Adel Hammouda, an Egyptian establishment), who thought that issuing - Over the centuries, Muslims have social commentator, investigative written and verbal outrage was enough to consistently failed to act on their beliefs, journalist and researcher. More than counter the direction in which militants choosing dialogue instead. This problem two decades ago, Hammouda published were taking Islam, chastising the clergy is not specific to Palestinians but rather an Arabic-language book that delved for not deconstructing Islamist militant the result of the general malaise of the into the Islamist militant trend called ideologies and actions. The book is Arab-Muslim world’s failure to act. the sahwa or Islamist re-awakening. critical of 1970s senior Egyptian cleric The sahwa was an attempt to remedy the Shaykh `Abd al-`Aziz `Isa for blaming - An Islamic state versus a secular humiliating defeat of five Arab armies Islamist militancy of the 1970s and nation-state has as its objective the in the aftermath of the 1967 Six Day 1980s on family upbringing and not the spreading of the Islamic message and its War through radical Islamist political theology of militant Islam. Hammouda complete application on all spheres of action. Hammouda traced the evolution argued that militant Islamist theory life. All instruments of the state (media, of the sahwa trend from radical political needed to be refuted using cogent education, foreign policy, economics expression to violent direct action in Islamic arguments. At the time, several and military) must be placed in the his book al-Hijra ila al-`Unf al-Tatarruf questions were being asked by the service of Islam. al-Dini min Hazimat Yunyu ila Ightiyal Muslim youth (some of whom would Uktubur (Migration into the Violence later join al-Qa`ida), such as: is using - An Islamic state can elicit help from of Religious Extremism from the June force or evangelism to propagate the non-Muslims for technical aid, but Defeat to the October Assassination). faith legitimate, and what constitutes an cannot accept the leadership of non- Hammouda was prompted to write Islamic state? According to Hammouda, Muslims. his book in 1987 due to the failure of the clergy—caught between Islamist Egyptian intellectual voices to speak militants and the state—failed in their The book argued that Sirriyya was the out against the Islamist militant trend. basic duty to answer these questions first organized expression of Qutb and He was dismayed to find that the best and, instead, ignored them. where the tree of takfir (declaring Muslims research on Islamist militant groups apostate) began to bloom. Prior to the during the presidency of Anwar al-Sadat Salah Sirriyya’s Attempt to Storm the Military events of April 1974 and his storming of were written by Israeli researchers. Technical College the Military Technical College, Sirriyya After Qutb was executed in 1966, those participated in Palestinian rejectionist Arabic books written about Islamist who read his Islamist militant political groups, including being a member of militants offer a treasure trove of manifesto, Milestones Along the Road, the Popular Front for the Liberation of understanding about the adversary extrapolated that in the hierarchy and Palestine. Sirriyya arrived in Egypt at an on many levels from the tactical to sovereignty of man and God (what Qutb ideal time for Islamist radicals, between the strategic. It is critical for U.S. called the hakmiyya), there must be no 1971 and 1977. During this time, Anwar strategists to study these books, such competition—God must be absolute. The al-Sadat used Islamist radical groups as as Adel Hammouda’s, to find insights trappings of a nation-state, a national a counter-weight to the Nasirists, leftists from past militant Islamist movements anthem, honoring Egypt’s tomb of the and Marxists who were attempting so that they can be applied today. Unknown Soldier, and saluting the to remove him from power. Al-Sadat flag were all forms of idolatry because attempted to distinguish himself from Hammouda’s Work on Egyptian Militant they competed for God’s glory. Readers Gamal `Abd al-Nasir by assuming the Islamist Groups thereafter used Qutb and the Pakistani title of Ra’is al-Mu’minin (President of Hammouda’s book offers an excellent ideologue Abu al-A`la Mawdudi’s the Faithful) and cloaking himself in expose into the militants who attempted reference of the secular state competing religiosity. The environment in Egypt, to operationalize the theories of with God’s sovereignty to delegitimize and the release of Muslim Brotherhood Islamist militant ideologue Sayyid the modern nation-state. Due to Qutb’s prisoners jailed by al-Nasir, provided Qutb, who is among the most important prolific writings that included not only an atmosphere for Sirriyya and others his political manifesto Milestones Along the to experiment with staging a coup september 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 10 using Qutbist theory as the basis of withdraw into himself until his release former religious minister, Shaykh an Islamic revolutionary politics. He in 1971, formulating what would become Muhammad al-Dahabi. Mustafa’s cult became disillusioned with Palestinian his cult, known as al-Takfir wa’l-Hijra took responsibility for the kidnapping rejectionist groups and, having left (Anathematization and Emigration). and issued several demands, chiefly Jordan for Egypt, found refuge in the the release of Mustafa’s followers Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, where Mustafa’s extended imprisonment from in Egyptian jails; pardon for those he would meet Muhammad al-Ghazali, 1965 to 1971 found him recreating a sentenced to prison; and an investigation Zaynab al-Ghazali, and Supreme society modeled on the Islamist prison into the abuses perpetrated by Egypt’s Guide Hasan al-Hudaybi. Soon after group GM. By 1976, al-Takfir wa’l-Hijra internal security apparatus. There are a Sirriyya’s death sentence in October had 5,000 members ranging in age variety of reasons why Shukri Mustafa’s 1975, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood from 14 to 70. In 1973, Shukri Mustafa group targeted al-Dahabi, and some of disassociated itself from him, and the linked up and merged with remnants of them can be explained by looking at al- details of the extent of the links between Salah Sirriyya’s group, taking all of his Dahabi’s views on radical groups. Some Sirriyya and the Brotherhood remain followers to the mountains of Assuit to of his views are outlined below: murky. Salah Sirriyya’s storming of the begin the creation of a perfect Islamic Military Technical College in 1974 to society. In 1975, Egyptians in the Assuit - Some youth feel that social ills can lead a widespread military coup was ill- region became alarmed when young be solved by force or by withdrawing conceived and had no chance for success. from society. These youth have to be He did, however, inspire those who “Arabic books written provided a relentless exposure to the were later involved in the successful reality of Islam, which rejects the path assassination of Egyptian President about Islamist militants of extremes, ignorance and deception. Anwar al-Sadat. Sirriyya is considered offer a treasure trove of the first person after Qutb’s execution - Islam can propagate a rational and in 1966 to attempt to operationalize understanding about the calm form of da`wa (evangelism). Qutbist theories. adversary on many levels - Islamic law must accommodate and Qutb in Practice: Shukri Mustafa’s Violent from the tactical to the serve the needs of the social problems Cult strategic.” of the age. Shukri Mustafa entered al-Nasir’s prisons in 1965, interrupting his - Islam must be purified from fantasies, studies in agriculture at the University ignorance and pseudo-intellectualism. of Assuit. He was imprisoned for six women disappeared and were presumed Regrettably, the voices of fantasy are years for agitating and inciting radical kidnapped. This was followed by louder than the voices of truth. Islamist riots on campus. While in disappearances of wives, husbands prison, Mustafa joined Jama`at al- and students. These individuals had - Mosques need to be places that do more Muslimin (GM).1 GM was established by been enticed to join Shukri Mustafa’s than serve as a prayer hall for the masses, an imprisoned Azhar seminarian, `Ali cult. Mustafa would claim to Egyptian but as a life-long school to explore `Abduh Isma`il, as an Islamic enclave authorities and court officials that he Islamic thought and intellectualism. in prison used to perfect an Islamic was the caliph of God on Earth. Members lifestyle among inmates and to establish had to sell their worldly goods to join the - The imam must reach out to the the initial steps necessary in establishing group. Mustafa authorized only certain youth and engage them in constructive an Islamic state. Hammouda detailed followers to trade for the group, who dialogue to steer them away from how this prison group tore itself apart he established as street vendors selling radicalism through alternative Islamic by what is described as a takfir war with produce and handcrafted goods in arguments. other prison groups, such as the Muslim Alexandria. Mustafa also utilized child Brotherhood, and prison authorities. labor and sent cult members to Persian - Egyptians should not focus on just Among GM’s tactics were to declare Gulf countries to send back remittances. detaining youth, but offer alternative whole swathes of prison inmates and Women worked in a collective and had and constructive Islamic thought. authorities apostate. This became so to render Mustafa blind obedience. disruptive that the supreme guide of Mustafa also imposed a plethora of Al-Dahabi’s views contradicted Qutbist the Muslim Brotherhood, Hasan al- forbidden and permissible items. All militant thought, making him a target Hudaybi, was brought in to rationalize aspects from the jahiliyya society2— of Shukri Mustafa. The Egyptian with the GM. Al-Hudaybi would later schools, mosques, food subsidies and government responded to al-Dahabi’s pen a critique of takfir, entitled Du`a laa clothes—provided by the government kidnapping by conducting mass arrests Quda’ (Evangelicals and Not Judges). The were prohibited. of cult members. Shukri Mustafa himself seminarian of GM ceased his activities, was finally apprehended at a Cairo depriving Mustafa of his only source On July 3, 1977, Mustafa’s cult abducted apartment. Al-Dahabi’s murdered body, of empowerment in prison. He would at gunpoint a popular cleric and however, was found in an apartment in Giza near the pyramids. The government 1 The group’s title is often transliterated as Gamaa al- 2 Jahiliyya society was a Qutbist perversion of how the dismantled the group, and in 1978 three Muslimin. The group is not to be confused with the better Prophet Muhammad described aspects of Meccan soci- of its main leaders were sentenced known and organized Jama`at al-Islamiya. ety such as infanticide. to death, including Shukri Mustafa. september 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 10

Mustafa’s appeal was his ability to create an alternative society with a spiritual focus that enticed thousands.

Al-Dahabi’s words should be assessed today to confront the current ideological war. Islamist radicals murdered him for his ideas because he directly challenged Qutbist militant thought. American strategists must now immerse themselves in what the United States once considered obscure and unknown criminal cases since they provide insights in waging the long war on terrorism. Arabic books provide a unique and in-depth perspective that cannot be ignored as America’s future military leaders are educated.

Commander Youssef Aboul-Enein is considered an important thinker on militant Islamist ideology at the Department of Defense and is a frequent contributor to the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. He currently serves as a Defense Department Counter-Terrorism Analyst. CDR Aboul-Enein wishes to thank the John T. Hughes and Brandeis University Libraries for making this work available for study. He also wishes to express appreciation to his colleague Mr. Gregory Elder for his edits and commentary that have enhanced this expose.