ABSTRACT
Although Hasan al-Hudaibi, Sayyid Qutb and thousands of other Muslim Brothers were thrown into prison during the regime of ‘Abd al-Nasir, many Islamic preachers read the writings of Qutb and of al-Mawdudi and were greatly influenced by their ideas concerning the tajhil [accusations of ignorance] of Muslim society. Among them was ‘Ali ‘Abduh Isma’il, a young Egyptian graduate of a young Egyptian graduate of al-Azhar, who founded the organization called Jama‘at al-Muslmin [Muslim society] while serving time in the famous Liman Tura prison. This was the first religious organization in the spirit of Qutb's ideology whose members did not simply preach it but began to isolate themselves from society, becoming reclusive while still actually in prison. (The ideology of Sayyid Qutb had not at this time progressed beyond the stage of preaching.) Through their reclusiveness they aimed to create the nucleus of a new Islamic society which would become strong and then declare a jihad, in accordance with the preaching of Qutb. Most veteran members of the Brothers who were in prison and many of the younger members rejected the preaching of Isma'il, whereupon he declared them to be part of the society of infidels. This accusation was taken up by other splinter groups, and there was a growth of animosity between them, with charges and countercharges of infidelity often ending in fights and brawls. 1
