Education is the best way to deal with the human nature and guide it through a scientific approach and specific means to conduct a change for the better in the human self– which is done by the Muslim Brotherhood to raise good generations.

Al-Banna and Tarbia (Education)               

Imam Hassan Al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, set out the steps of his Da’wa (call for Islam and conveyance of its message): Beginning with introducing and defining Da’wa, he then moved to the stage of formation in order to instill education in community members, with the aim of building the Muslim individual, Muslim family, and then the Muslim society that would elect the Muslim government and the Muslim ruler.

Al-Banna provided some features for the educational curriculum, saying: “The creation of nations, the education of people, the realization of hopes, and the defense of principles: The nation which tries to achieve this or the group which is calling for this will need at the very least a mighty spiritual strength which may be manifested in numerous ways: a strong will which no weakness can penetrate; a steady loyalty unassailable by fickleness or treachery; a noble spirit of self-sacrifice, unaffected by greed or avarice; a knowledge of the principles, having faith in them evaluating them, and making sure they are immune to error. They must ensure that there is no deviation, quibbling or betrayal about it (which are the characteristics of the soul). Upon this awesome spiritual strength and high principles will be erected, resurgent nations who will create educated and zealous people, life will be renewed in those who have been deprived of it for many years,” Al-Banna said in one of his messages (‘To What Do We Call Mankind’), adding, ”Societies primarily need to care about morals and spirituality; and those who seek moral reform through books alone are deluded and deceitful at the same time. However, there must be good role models that are linked with Allah through perseveringly maintaining night prayers and communing with Allah at dusk,” Al-Banna said in one of his articles.

Al-Banna also explained that the Tarbia (education) is the Muslim Brothers’ way to achieve their desired goals, saying: “You should know that the primary purpose of the Muslim Brotherhood is the achievement of the right education; by educating the nation and training people on the virtuous soul and the lofty and noble morals, awaken vivid feelings that drive nations to defend their dignity and work hard to redeem their glory, bearing all hardships in order to reach their ends.

The Muslim Brotherhood depend in achieving their goals on education and culture:

Education: to make sure the group’s members adhere to the teachings of Islam and its rituals, and

Culture: by building schools, night classes, Quran memorizing classes; as well as delivering lectures and lessons, and distributing pamphlets.

The Brotherhood has established a specific department for education, and developed educational curricula and a lot of means and incubators to promote the ethics and values ​​among its members. The MB also developed regulations and systems for the education department, such as the Message of Teachings, and the Message of Curriculum.

Methods of Education in the Brotherhood

There are various methods of Tarbia (education) in the Muslim Brotherhood, including:

1- Osrah or Halaqa (that means “family” in English): It is a weekly unit study and practice meeting, where a group of individuals (5-7) meet weekly according to a general educational curriculum for studying some Sharia sciences and humanities. The pillars of Osrah are:

       a) Acquaintance,

       b) Understanding, and

       c) Interdependence.

The Osrah enhances the individual’s belief and worship, and upgrades him intellectually and socially. In so-doing, the Muslim Brothers imitate and follow the Prophet and his companions.

2- Katibah or spiritual night​​​​​​​: It is a monthly several-unit meeting, where several Osrahs meet together and spend the night in worship according to a program within a general educational curriculum. The Katibah is aimed at self-purification as it focuses on the spiritual aspect through practice of worship and rituals, including recitation of the holy Quran, repeating Azkaar, meaning "mentioning" in English (the name of devotional acts in Islam in which short phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited silently within the mind or aloud), performance of Qiyam (night prayers after Isha prayers), performance of Tahajjud (night prayers at dusk before dawn) and listening to religious lessons and lectures.

3- The Trip: It is one of the collective means of education for members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Among the objectives of the trip are: self-recreation, practice of exercises, and training on patience.

4- The Camp: The purpose of the camp is to provide a comprehensive education to members of the Muslim Brotherhood, caring for the spirit, mind and body:

        a- The spiritual education was achieved through practice of Qiyam (night prayers after Isha prayers) and Tahajjud (night prayers at dusk before dawn) as well as        recitation of the holy Quran and and repeating Azkaar, (devotional acts where short phrases are repeatedly recited silently within the mind or aloud);

        b- The cultural education that nourishes the mind with lectures and discussions that take place during the days of the camp; and

        c- The physical education that used to be provided through practice of various sports activities included in the camp program, as well as practice of self-defense sports.

5- The Course: It is usually organized on a religious issue, a scientific issue, or for training the Muslim Brotherhood members.

6- The Seminar.

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Tangible and realistic effects

If we want to investigate the news of those who have influenced, reformed and changed the society (to the better), sure we will find out that they are so numerous that they are even almost uncountable.  

They took the call and the message of reform; they gathered between worship and jihad, delivered the rights of both Allah and the human beings, declared the voice of guidance and truth clearly before tyrants and oppressors, and stood with great valor in the face of the oppressive colonists.

This was prominent in various areas as follows:

In the defense of the nation's issues, the Muslim Brothers have been at the forefront of the Mujahideen against the Zionists in Palestine, as well as in the forefront of the resistance against the occupation of their countries. In the field of Da’wa, the Brotherhood school prepared and provided preachers and educators in different countries, including those who actually belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood, and those who were affected by their (the Brotherhood’s) thought and education; and this is also true in various disciplines and specializations.