Religious and political trends in Egypt

This book, written in English, was the first study about the Muslim Brotherhood movement. What distinguishes it from other Arab and foreign studies is that its author was a close observer and monitor of them during their formation and rise. It also addressed aspects of Hassan al-Banna's and the Muslim Brotherhood's history that even later studies did not cover. Despite its age, this book has not aged or become outdated. In its current form (or its relevance), it competes with everything written about the Muslim Brotherhood in Arabic and foreign languages to this day. And everything written after it does not replace reading it; it is the main reference for what has been written about the Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood was not pleased with the book because it presented a realistic history of Hassan al-Banna and their movement, so they tried to obscure it. What annoyed them most was the author's statement about their leader, whom he knew closely: "Hassan al-Banna was a jealous man, and he did not tolerate competition from Sayyid Qutb in the field of social reforms based on Islamic principles. He wanted to be (the greatest scholar), and there should be no (Musaylimah) another in Egypt... His methods remind us of the esoteric practices of the Ismailis, as he was familiar with the educational principles of the Ismaili sect. He endeavored to imitate some of their works in his writings, but the philosophical standards of these two movements are much higher than anything achieved by the Muslim Brotherhood. The spirit of the Brotherhood may be closer to the spirit of the Kharijites than to any other movement in Islam... His walk was strange and always indicated he was in a hurry, either to go somewhere or to escape from someone. Although he wore European-style clothes, sometimes over them a rough wool cloak, he might have appeared more comfortable in the traditional loose garments worn by those of his social class, which would have suited his way of life and his call."