RYAN MAURO: A WINDOW ON THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IN AMERICA
An Annotated Interview with DHS Advisor Mohamed Elibiary
be “dogmatic.” Its two most prominent ideologies, founder Hasan al-Banna and SayidQutb, concerned themselves with the proper way of “Islamizing” a society steeped in unbelief. The insight essential to both their visions (and, what would be Brotherhood doctrinewell into the 21st Century) is the concept of imposing Islamic law in “stages” or, as Qutbcalled them, “Milestones.” More than a mere tactical concern, these Milestones (described in Qutb’s book of the same name) were designed to correspond with the method of immersion used to introduce the religion and legal system to the first generation of Muslims inMohammed’s time. In addition to tactical concerns, the Brotherhood’s desired end-state— a Caliphate governed by Islamic law—clearly would be considered totalitarian. Elibiary’s description of the group is inaccurate, and he depends on the unfortunate ignorance ofthose he advises.
