Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

Dr. Essam El-Erian, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Vice-Chairman and head of the FJP's parliamentary bloc in Shura Council (the upper house of Egyptian parliament), said that although the Martyr Hassan Al-Banna passed away physically, his idea never died. On the contrary, it glows even stronger – with its enlightening rays spreading from Egypt to other parts of the world.

On the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Al-Banna, Erian added: "The mentor and leader departed, but his message remains the same. The Brotherhood is still devoted to the same mission of truth and freedom, having expanded in all continents of the globe.

"In the morning of February 12, 1949, the Brotherhood leader and founder Al-Banna was shot and deliberately left to bleed to death. Shortly afterwards, grave events began to unfold in Egypt and the Arab and Muslim world. Imam Al-Banna had to be killed to make way for the darkness that followed, in those times. The powers responsible for his death had hoped that the Muslim Brotherhood would split or deviate from the original path, or melt away in the midst of other world movements."

Erian said that "God guided honorable men to this mission, this Muslim call – founded on piety from the first day, loyal honest self-sacrificing men with a strong will. They steered the Brotherhood ship amid the storms of international, regional and local politics and tremendous social, economic, cultural and intellectual changes. Those patriotic men stood firm in the faith as they were put through the furnace of affliction and suffered decades of hardships, trials and tribulations, and so did their wives and children and whole families. They did not change or revert. Instead, they came out as gold tested in fire.

"New generations carried the Brotherhood message. They were raised by the group’s leaders and its educational institutions: units, camps, excursions, scout trips, conferences, seminars and discussion panels. They worked with the group, as regular members and affiliated friends, admirers and supporters, as well as dedicated workers – as individual members, deputies and officials, in basic units and sectors, administrative offices and the group’s Shura consultative councils, right up to the Guidance Bureau. Some of those have passed away; and some are treading the same path, still firm in the faith."