What Is the Muslim Brotherhood? An Emirati Perspective

Short answer: The Muslim Brotherhood (al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun) is a transnational Sunni Islamist movement founded by Hassan al-Banna in Ismailia, Egypt, in 1928 [1]. According to the UK government's review, al-Banna called for the moral purification of Muslim societies and "their eventual political unification in a Caliphate under sharia law" [2]. On 15 November 2014 the UAE designated the Brotherhood, its UAE branch and al-Islah as terrorist organisations [3]. In EPIC's assessment, the main danger is the movement's model rather than any single act of violence. It is a disciplined, secretive organisation that uses religious and civic institutions to pursue political power, and its ideas have repeatedly given violent groups their intellectual footing.

Origins and history

• Founding (1928). Hassan al-Banna, a schoolteacher in Ismailia, founded the movement in 1928 [1]. The UK review records that al-Banna, its first Supreme Guide, called for "the religious reformation of individual Muslims, the progressive moral purification of Muslim societies and their eventual political unification in a Caliphate under sharia law" [2].
• Confrontation with the Egyptian state. Nasser dissolved the movement in 1954. It was rehabilitated under Sadat some 20 years later and then expanded into student organisations, professional syndicates and trade unions [2].
• Sayyid Qutb. The Brotherhood ideologue Sayyid Qutb wrote Milestones (Ma'alim fi al-Tariq) in prison. The book describes contemporary societies, Muslim ones included, as living in jahiliyya (pre-Islamic ignorance) [4]. Qutb was executed in Egypt in 1966 [2].
• Arrival in the Gulf. Brotherhood members escaping Nasser's crackdown reached the Gulf in the late 1950s and 1960s and recruited locals. In 1974 Emiratis formed al-Islah with the approval of the then Ruler of Dubai [5].

Ideology: what the Brotherhood believes

• Comprehensive Islam as a political programme. The Brotherhood treats Islam as a complete system for politics, law, education and society. Britannica describes its aim as renewing the Islamic world by applying the Qur'an and Hadith as guidelines for society [1].
• Gradualism. The UK review describes the Brotherhood's focus on "the reconstruction of individual identity" as "the first step towards a revolutionary challenge to established states" [2]. EPIC's analysis is that gradualism is a method, not a sign of moderation: the end goal stays the same and only the timetable is flexible.
• Rejection of the nation-state. Al-Banna and others argued that nationalism was not the answer to the problems of Muslim societies [2]. In EPIC's view, a movement that places its loyalty above the nation is a structural challenge to citizenship in a federal nation-state like the UAE.
• Takfiri potential. The UK review found that Qutb's thinking "has inspired many terrorist organisations, including the assassins of Sadat, Al Qaida and its offshoots" [2]. See EPIC's Arabic study of extremist texts, فلسفة الإرهاب.

Organisation: how it operates

• Cells and hierarchy. The UK review found that from its foundation the Brotherhood "organised itself into a secretive 'cell' structure, with an elaborate induction and education programme for new members". It also found that this "clandestine, centralised and hierarchical structure persists to this day" [2].
• Front institutions. The movement works through charities, student bodies, professional syndicates and unions [2]. The UAE's 2014 list named militant groups and also several Europe-based associations and charities [3]. Several of these organisations publicly rejected the designation, including Islamic Relief, the Cordoba Foundation and the Muslim Association of Sweden. Norway and other Nordic governments asked the UAE for an explanation [12][13][14][15].
• Entryism in democracies. EPIC examines how the Brotherhood network uses democratic due process in Europe in Muslim Brotherhood in Europe: Entryism by Due Process.

The UAE's 2014 terrorist designation

What happened. On 15 November 2014 the UAE Cabinet approved a list of designated terrorist organisations under Federal Law No. 7 of 2014 on combating terrorist crimes. The list included "The UAE Muslim Brotherhood", "Al-Islah (or Da'wat Al-Islah)" and the global Muslim Brotherhood "organisation and groups", alongside al-Qaeda, Daesh (ISIL) and the Houthi movement [3]. The National reported that 83 organisations were listed [7]. The formal instrument is Cabinet Decision No. 41 of 2014 [3][7].

Why the UAE acted: the record. - Early 1990s investigation and the 1994 dissolution. According to the Washington Institute, an Egyptian investigation in the early 1990s, "conducted with Abu Dhabi's approval", found that one of the UAE group's committees had made contributions to individuals belonging to an Egyptian terrorist organisation [5]. The Counter Extremism Project and Gulf News report that the UAE dissolved al-Islah's board in 1994, and identify the group as Egyptian Islamic Jihad [6][16]. - 2003 talks. The Washington Institute reports that UAE authorities urged Brotherhood-affiliated employees in the education sector to renounce their Islamist ideology, stop propagating it, or transfer out of education. No agreement was reached [5]. - The 2013 trial. In 2013, 94 defendants were tried on charges that included coordinating with foreign groups and plotting to seize power. Many of them were al-Islah members [5]. The National reported on 2 July 2013 that 69 were convicted (8 sentenced in absentia to 15 years, 56 to 10 years and 5 to 7 years) and 25 were acquitted, including all 13 women [8]. Human rights organisations criticised the crackdown [6]. EPIC records this criticism for completeness. It does not change the court's findings. - Regional context. Egypt's interim government declared the Brotherhood a terrorist group on 25 December 2013 [9].

EPIC's analysis. The UAE's case rests on three judgements. First, al-Islah was an organised branch of a foreign movement, not a local reform society. Second, it pursued influence in education and the state outside the constitutional order. Third, the Brotherhood's transnational network makes local "moderate" branches inseparable from the whole. The UAE designated the global organisation, not only its local branch, and that choice reflects the third judgement.

Links to extremism and violence

• The UK assessment. The UK review concluded that "for the most part, the Muslim Brotherhood have preferred non violent incremental change on the grounds of expediency", but that "they are prepared to countenance violence – including, from time to time, terrorism - where gradualism is ineffective" (para 17). It also concluded that aspects of its ideology and tactics "are contrary to our values" (para 39) [2].
• Hamas. The UK review notes that "the Hamas founding charter claims they are the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Muslim Brotherhood treat them as such" (para 14). It also found that the Brotherhood "deliberately, wittingly and openly incubated and sustained" Hamas (para 17) [2].
• Ideological pathway. EPIC's Lethal Certainty examines how absolute certainty, religious or not, comes to license violence.
• Continued state action. Jordan outlawed the Brotherhood and confiscated its assets on 23 April 2025, after authorities linked members to an alleged armed plot [10][11].

EPIC's assessment: the Brotherhood is best understood as a conveyor belt risk rather than a terrorist group in the narrow operational sense. It builds the ideological certainty, organisational discipline and parallel loyalties that violent groups can later exploit. This is why the UAE treats the organisation as a security matter and not only as a political rival.

Designations and bans by country (selected)

Only actions with a primary or authoritative source are listed.

Key questions

What is the Muslim Brotherhood? It is a transnational Sunni Islamist movement founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna. It seeks to reshape society and the state according to its own interpretation of Islam [1][2].

When did the UAE designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation? On 15 November 2014, by Cabinet decision under Federal Law No. 7 of 2014 [3].

What is al-Islah in the UAE? An association formed in 1974 that the UAE regards as the local Brotherhood branch. It was listed as a terrorist organisation in 2014 [5][3].

Is the Muslim Brotherhood violent? The movement generally presents itself as non-violent. The UK government's review found that it is "prepared to countenance violence – including, from time to time, terrorism - where gradualism is ineffective" [2]. In EPIC's assessment, its ideology and structure have fed violent extremism.

Which countries have banned or designated the Muslim Brotherhood? They include Russia (2003), Egypt (2013), the UAE (2014) and Jordan (2025). The United States designated three national chapters in January 2026 [17][9][3][10][20].

Related EPIC research

• Muslim Brotherhood in Europe: Entryism by Due Process
• فلسفة الإرهاب (Philosophy of Terrorism)
• Lethal Certainty
• Centre for the Study of Extremism · Security

Sources

1. Britannica, "Muslim Brotherhood". https://www.britannica.com/topic/Muslim-Brotherhood
2. UK Government, Muslim Brotherhood Review: Main Findings, HC 679, 17 Dec 2015 (paras 8–10, 14, 16, 17, 39). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486932/Muslim_Brotherhood_Review_Main_Findings.pdf
3. WAM (Emirates News Agency), "UAE Cabinet approves list of designated terrorist organisations, groups", 15 Nov 2014. https://www.wam.ae/en/article/hsz97ivy-uae-cabinet-approves-list-designated-terrorist
4. NATO Defense College Foundation, "The Muslim Brotherhood: between religions and politics" (2024). https://www.natofoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/NDCF-Papers-Muslim-Brotherhood-Nella.pdf
5. L. P. Boghardt, "The Muslim Brotherhood on Trial in the UAE", Washington Institute, 12 Apr 2013. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/muslim-brotherhood-trial-uae
6. Counter Extremism Project, "Muslim Brotherhood in the United Arab Emirates". https://www.counterextremism.com/content/muslim-brotherhood-united-arab-emirates
7. The National, "List of groups designated terrorist organisations by the UAE", 16 Nov 2014. https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/list-of-groups-designated-terrorist-organisations-by-the-uae-1.270037
8. The National, "UAE sedition trial: 69 guilty, 25 cleared as all accused women walk free from court", 2 Jul 2013. https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/uae-sedition-trial-69-guilty-25-cleared-as-all-accused-women-walk-free-from-court-1.651005
9. The Guardian, "Egypt declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group", 25 Dec 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/25/egypt-declares-muslim-brotherhood-terrorist-group
10. Reuters, "Jordan outlaws Muslim Brotherhood, confiscates assets and offices", 23 Apr 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/jordan-outlaws-muslim-brotherhood-group-confiscates-its-assets-offices-2025-04-23/
11. Petra (Jordan News Agency), interior minister announces ban, 23 Apr 2025. https://www.petra.gov.jo/Include/InnerPage.jsp?ID=70654&lang=en&name=en_news
12. The Cordoba Foundation, statement, 17 Nov 2014. https://thecordobafoundation.com/uae-terrorist-organisation-list-is-farcical/
13. IRIN/ReliefWeb, "Outrage over UAE's new terror list", 18 Nov 2014. https://reliefweb.int/report/united-arab-emirates/outrage-over-uaes-new-terror-list
14. The Local (Sweden), "Swedish Muslim group rejects terror label", 17 Nov 2014. https://www.thelocal.se/20141117/swedish-muslim-group-rejects-terror-label
15. News in English (Norway), "Nordic countries demand joint explanation for UAE terror list", 20 Nov 2014. https://www.newsinenglish.no/2014/11/20/nordic-countries-demand-joint-explanation-for-uae-terror-list/
16. Gulf News, "Rise and fall of Muslim Brotherhood in UAE", 13 Apr 2013. https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/rise-and-fall-of-muslim-brotherhood-in-uae-1.1170002
17. FSB, Single federal list of organisations recognised as terrorist (accessed 20 Oct 2026). http://www.fsb.ru/fsb/npd/terror.htm
18. National Anti-Terrorism Committee (Russia), Supreme Court decision of 14 Feb 2003 (archived). https://web.archive.org/web/20170808093303/http:/nac.gov.ru/zakonodatelstvo/sudebnye-resheniya/reshenie-verhovnogo-suda-rf-ot-14-fevralya.html
19. GOV.UK, "Muslim Brotherhood review: main findings", 17 Dec 2015. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/muslim-brotherhood-review-main-findings
20. US Treasury, press release, 13 Jan 2026. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0357
21. US Department of State, "Designations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters", 13 Jan 2026. https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/designations-of-muslim-brotherhood-chapters
22. Federal Register, "Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation of Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood", 14 Jan 2026. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/14/2026-00573/foreign-terrorist-organization-designation-of-lebanese-muslim-brotherhood