Читать книгу Return of the Pharaoh - Zainab Al-Ghazali - Страница 11
ОглавлениеMy relationship with the Ikhwan group was not as recent as some would have it. For it went back to 1937. I met with Imam Shahid Hasan al-Banna, for the first time, in those remote blessed days of 1937, six months after I formed the Muslim Ladies Group. The meeting took place in the Ikhwan’s headquarters, then in al-‘Atabah, after I delivered a lecture to the group’s ladies’ branch.
Hasan al-Banna was in the process of forming a sisters’ branch in the Ikhwan. After reminding me of the necessity of uniting all Muslims and bringing them together, he invited me to preside over the Muslim sisters. This meant the merging of my new-born Muslim Ladies Group, something I was intensely proud of, with the Ikhwan. I promised to discuss al-Banna’s suggestion with our general assembly but said I could not give a guarantee about the result. As it happened, our general assembly rejected the proposal but recommended close co-operation between the two groups.
Thereafter, I met with al-Banna repeatedly and even though each of us maintained our own opinions, our Islamic relationship in no way suffered. At the last meeting which took place between us in the Muslim Ladies Headquarters, I sought to appease him by promising to make the Muslim Ladies Group one of the Ikhwan’s foundation stones, but on condition that we retained our name and independence for the benefit of da’wah. Unable to compromise, al-Banna insisted on a complete merger.
Events moved fast after that, and soon we were dealing with the incidents of 1948.1 A decree was issued to dissolve the Ikhwan group, close down all its branches and confiscate its belongings. Before long, thousands of its members were in jail. The Muslim Sisters (the Ikhwan’s ladies’ branch) had been performing activities they are to be thanked for. One of these sisters was Mrs. Tahiah al-Jubaili, my brother’s wife and cousin, and it was from her that I learned many details. It was then, that I found myself, for the first time, eager to support all of al-Banna’s opinions and understood his insistence on completely merging the Muslim Ladies Group into the Ikhwan. In my office, the same office where my last meeting with al-Banna had taken place, the morning after the dissolution of the Ikhwan, I could not help putting my head in my hands and crying bitterly. I believed that al-Banna was right. He was the Imam that all Muslims must pledge allegiance to, in order that they struggle for the return of Muslims to their position of responsibility and true existence, and can implement Allah’s commands. I felt that al-Banna was stronger than me and franker in disseminating and announcing the truth. His boldness and courage are two characteristics which all Muslims must have. I asked my secretary to contact Brother ‘Abd al-Hafiz al-Saifi whom I wanted to convey a verbal message to al-Banna, reminding him of my pledge to him at our last meeting. When al-Saifi returned with al-Banna’s greetings and prayers, I requested my brother Muhammad al-Ghazali al-Jubaili to take, or ask his wife to take, a note to al-Banna. That short note read:
Sayyidi2 Imam Hasan al-Banna,
Zainab al-Ghazali presents herself today devoid of everything except her servitude to Allah and her enslavement in the call to Him. You are today the only person who can do to this Ummah something for the Call to Allah in a way that pleases Him.
Waiting for your instructions and orders.
Shortly afterwards, my brother informed me that a brief appointment in the Muslim Youth3 (al-Shubban al-Muslimun) Headquarters between myself and al-Banna had been arranged. We were to make out that this meeting took place purely by coincidence. In any case, I was not short of excuses to visit the establishment, for I was about to deliver a lecture there. As arranged, al-Banna and I bumped into each other whilst using the stairs at the Headquarters. Candidly, and without hesitation, I volunteered: ‘I pledge allegiance to you for the establishment of the Islamic State. The least I can give for this, is shedding my blood and merging the Muslim Ladies Group with the Ikhwan.’
‘I accept the pledge, but the Muslim Ladies Group remains as it is.’
We left each other with an agreement that further contact would be made via my brother’s house.
The first thing al-Banna charged me to do was to mediate between al-Nahhas and the Ikhwan. Mustafa al-Nahhas4 who was, then, out of office, designated the late Amin Khalil as the person in charge of clearing up the misunderstanding between the two parties. Al-Banna consented, and I was to be the contact.
