The Society of the Muslim Brothers
by the late Richard P. Mitchell

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Book Reviews of The Society of the Muslim Brothers

Book Review: First of Its Kind
Summary: 5 Stars

Mitchell's work preceded the sensationalism so characteristic of the field today and, therefore, lacks many of the vices present therein today. In particular, one notices his consciousness that he is studying a *religious* group; therefore, his work doesn't suffer from the rampant reductionism that seeks to explain Islamism merely in terms of market fluctuations and changing birthrates. As Richard Mitchell wrote just before his death, "So deeply ingrained is secularism as to make even the most sympathetic observers floundering for meaning in simplistic explanations such as `Mahdism,' `Messianism,' `religious obscurantism,' `fanaticism,' `nativism,' `cover for power grab,' etc. All of these things exist in the Islamic movement. But it would not be a serious movement worthy of our attention were it not, above all, an idea and a personal commitment honestly felt."

Mitchell's works shows how Islamism began as a relatively conservative movement without any explicit aims for revolution at the governmental level. Rather, they desired a religious revolution that was later protracted into a larger arenas of social reform. Political opposition and activism-of the potentially seditious kind-actually came relatively late and in the atmosphere of despotic monarchy.

The books ends with the imprisonment of the Brotherhood by Nasser-ironically after the Brotherhood provided the major popular support for the Free Officers to enter into power-and thereafter the history of the Brotherhood was chronicled mostly by francophone authors such as Olivier Carré and Gilles Kepel.

Summary of The Society of the Muslim Brothers

History Books

• Books > Subjects > Religion & Spirituality > Islam
• New & Used Textbooks > Humanities > Religious Studies > Islam