Name
The label "
Takfir wal-Hijra" ("excommunication and exodus") was from the start a derogatory term used by the Egyptian press when referring to the group
Jama'at al-Muslimin. The word
takfir means to declare someone a
kafir (non-Muslim), while
Hijra refers to emigration, specifically the migration of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad and his followers from
Mecca to
Medina. "
Takfir wal-Hijra" thus referred to Muslims who considered mainstream Muslim society to be infidel and felt it was their duty to separate from it.
Most Egyptians avoided using the group's self-designation, Jama'at al-Muslimin ("Society of Muslims"), as it implied they were the sole true Muslim community. Consequently, " Takfir wal-Hijra" became the fixed popular term, despite the group's objections.
Overview
Takfir wal-Hijra has been described as "a matrix of terrorist cells - allied to bin Laden but often more extreme than him," and as a group that inspired some of the tactics and methods later used by Al Qaeda. Described as beginning in Egypt in 1971, by the 1990s it had evolved into a "decentralised network" of "cells", a "radical ideology" connecting Islamic militants worldwide, often specializing in logistical support to other terrorist groups. These networks adhere to core beliefs that man-made laws are illegitimate, and justify actions including theft, kidnapping, and assassinations of non-members.
History and activities
The Jama'at al-Muslimin group was founded by Shukri Mustafa in 1971. Originally a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mustafa had been imprisoned with other members including
Sayyid Qutb and became one of Qutb's most radical disciples. The group gained nationwide attention when they kidnapped and executed Islamic scholar and former government minister Husayn al-Dhahabi in July 1977. In the crackdown that followed, 620 alleged members were arrested and 465 tried before military courts. Shukri Mustafa was executed in March 1978.
Some former members were later linked to the assassination of Anwar Sadat and the Asyut Islamic Uprising in 1981. Takfir wal-Hijra grew substantially through the 1990s as "Afghan Arabs" returned from Afghanistan to spread their doctrines, establishing a "decentralised network of believers" active in Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, and Sudan.
The group has been responsible for attacks on mosques in Sudan from 1994 to 2006, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. They have also been linked to assassinations and attacks in Lebanon, Jordan, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Russia.
The group has been involved in the Sinai insurgency since 2011, including attacks on security forces and civilians. Egyptian authorities have arrested leaders and dozens of members.
See also
