Egypt Expects Britain to Ban Muslim Brotherhood Soon

The Grand Mufti delivers a speech before the British Houses of Commons and Lords (Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta)
The Grand Mufti delivers a speech before the British Houses of Commons and Lords (Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta)
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Egypt Expects Britain to Ban Muslim Brotherhood Soon

The Grand Mufti delivers a speech before the British Houses of Commons and Lords (Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta)
The Grand Mufti delivers a speech before the British Houses of Commons and Lords (Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta)

Egypt’s Grand Mufti Shawki Allam visited the United Kingdom earlier this week and delivered a speech at the House of Commons, highlighting the banned Muslim Brotherhood’s extremist approach.

Allam also distributed a documented English-language report to the lawmakers revealing the Brotherhood’s scandals and abuses and its association with violence.
Following Allam’s visit, officials in Dar al-Ifta expected that London would impose legal measures to ban the organization soon.

Senior Advisor to Egypt's Mufti Dr. Ibrahim Negm said the report reveals the bloody nature of the terrorist group.

He accused the group of seeking to distort the image of religious institutions and figures that reject its extremist ideology.

Negm stressed that Allam exposed to the world the flaws in the Brotherhood’s ideological structure, adding that it aims to destabilize societies and threaten global peace and security.

He said the Brotherhood’s multilingual media platforms have launched an organized campaign to spread falsified news and rumors against the state and its religious institutions.
The campaign claims that the religious institutions opposed to the group and its extremist approach are politicized.

Allam said in his report that the Brotherhood operated in two respects. Its members first represented themselves to the public as social reformers and opposition forces.

However, they secretly established an apparatus, which was responsible for carrying out terrorist operations and assassinations.



Arab League Plans ‘Exploratory Visit’ to New Syria

The Arab League headquarters in Cairo. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Arab League headquarters in Cairo. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Arab League Plans ‘Exploratory Visit’ to New Syria

The Arab League headquarters in Cairo. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Arab League headquarters in Cairo. Asharq Al-Awsat

Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts and growing Arab engagement with Syria’s new administration, the Arab League is planning to send a special envoy to Damascus.

The mission will aim to “assess the situation, meet with the new government, and engage with various groups in the country,” according to an Arab diplomatic source.

The source, speaking anonymously to Asharq Al-Awsat, explained that, in light of recent developments, “there is a push within the Arab League to send a special envoy to Syria.”

“The goal is to establish communication with the new authorities, understand their vision, and inform them about the Arab League’s operations and its relationship with Syria,” they added.

Although the timing and nature of the visit have not yet been decided, the source emphasized that it would not be limited to meeting Syria’s new leaders but would also involve discussions with different social groups.

“The visit is exploratory and aims to open communication channels and show the Arab League’s readiness to work with the new administration,” the source added.

One key objective of the visit is to offer an honest assessment of the situation in Syria and present the new administration’s views to other Arab nations, especially in North Africa.

On May 7, 2023, the Arab League reinstated Syria’s membership, reversing a suspension that began in November 2011 after the country’s protests. This decision formed a contact group of six Arab countries to work directly with Syria on a comprehensive solution to the crisis.

The diplomatic source pointed out that with Bashar al-Assad’s regime fallen, the goal of the Syria-focused group has shifted to helping Syrians adapt to the new political reality.

The Arab League’s planned visit comes as Syria sees increasing Arab attention. This includes a recent visit to Riyadh by Syria’s new Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, marking his first foreign trip. The visit coincided with the arrival of Saudi humanitarian aid to Syria. The UAE, Kuwait, and Oman have also held talks with Syrian officials.

Egypt, while cautious about closer ties with Syria, has emphasized that Syria should be a source of regional stability. Egypt has been monitoring the new administration's actions closely.

Observers note a growing “Arab openness” to Syria, driven by fears of Syria’s fragmentation and concerns over security issues, including terrorism.

The Arab League’s engagement reflects a shared interest in Syria's future, with a focus on stability, reconstruction, and political transition.