1. Home
2. Highlights
3. From Cairo to the World: The Global Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood

Founded in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood swiftly expanded into a major transnational force. Exile, social networks, and ideological adaptability enabled the movement to spread its influence across the Arab and Muslim world.

Founded in 1928 in Ismailia by Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood swiftly expanded beyond Egypt’s borders to become a major transnational force across the Arab and Muslim world. Its reach was enabled by exile networks, grassroots activism, and a doctrine flexible enough to adapt to diverse political and cultural contexts.

From its inception, the Brotherhood defined itself as a movement with a global mission. Al-Banna envisioned Islam not only as the organizing principle of Egyptian society and politics, but as the foundation for renewal across the entire Ummah.

“Egypt is the testing ground of the Muslim Brotherhood, yet their vision is pan-Islamic, aiming to resist colonialism, Western secularism, and the fragmentation of the Muslim world,” notes historian Pierre Vermeren, professor at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University.

The Brotherhood’s project combined moral reform at the individual level with a broader political vision. It was built on education, the formation of a devot and committed elite, and a strong social presence through schools, charitable associations, and labor unions.

The movement’s rapid rise in popularity during the 1930s and 1940s, particularly in the Canal cities, Alexandria, and Cairo, reflected Egypt’s deepening social and economic crisis, its demographic boom, and the growing frustration of the new middle classes toward the traditional elites and foreign minorities.

“The British, through the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, deepened nationalist grievances, while the great Arab revolt in Palestine gave the Brotherhood an unexpected opportunity to mobilize and recruit followers,” notes the researcher.

Exile as a Driver of Internationalization

Repression in Egypt from the 1950s under Nasser marked a decisive turning point for the movement. Following the assassination attempt against Nasser in 1954, thousands of Brotherhood leaders were imprisoned and tortured.

“The torture and imprisonment of thousands of Brotherhood members created martyrs, but more importantly, produced dispersed networks that spread their ideology across the Middle East,” explains Vermeren.

Exile thus became a catalyst for transnational diffusion. Activists relocated to Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, the Maghreb, Jordan, and Lebanon, where they joined administrations, universities, and state institutions —embedding the Brotherhood’s doctrine within new social and political frameworks. The University of Medina emerged as a key hub, welcoming students from Africa and Asia who carried the Brothers’ ideas back to their home countries.

"Cairo sent its cadres to the Gulf and North Africa, where they participated in building states and their administrations. Between 1955 and 1990, their ideology merged with Saudi Salafism and permeated Arab societies and institutions." 

A Structured Transnational Networ

From the 1970s onward, the movement became increasingly institutionalized while maintaining a transnational vision. In Jordan, it emerged as a legal political actor, with a party and parliamentary representation; in Syria, its direct opposition to Hafez al-Assad’s regime culminated in the 1982 Hama massacre; in Palestine, Hamas, founded in 1987, carried on the Brotherhood’s legacy, blending armed resistance with political Islam.

In Tunisia, Ennahda drew direct inspiration from the Brotherhood while tailoring its message to local coup alongside Omar al-Bashir.

“Brotherhood-influenced Salafism is a flexible and adaptable doctrine, provided followers uphold its core principles and the goal of the caliphate,” explains the researcher. “The Brothers have shown considerable flexibility in advancing both their influence and their cause.”

This flexibility is evident in pragmatic alliances and tactical compromises: in Morocco, they recognize the authority of the king; in Turkey, they align with Erdoğan’s national-caliphate project; and in France and other Western contexts, they adopt a discourse that appears compatible with secularism to integrate into civil society.

“They claim to speak for Muslims because they are the most organized, and they instill fear alongside the Salafists even in communities that are otherwise highly diverse,” notes Vermeren.

How Regional Events Shaped Their Reach and Roots

Successive regional crises played a pivotal role in extending its reach and anchoring its presence internationally. Events such as the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and the creation of Israel, along with the economic and political upheavals following World War II, provided fertile ground for the Brotherhood’s expansion.

“Political violence in Egypt, the 1948 war, the creation of Israel, and the imminent collapse of colonial empires all contributed to the spread of the Brothers’ ideas among Sunni Muslims across the Middle East,” notes the historian.

The movement succeeded in weaving together social, political, and religious action. Its strategy focused on rooting itself in society: schools, hospitals, labor unions, and charitable associations helped win the trust of local populations laying the ground for eventual political power.

“The Brotherhood model has struggled across much of the Muslim world, except in the West, where it thrives among Islamic minorities and influences certain parties and associations,” explains Vermeren.

A Flexible Model United by Its Core Principles

Despite local variations, the movement has maintained a coherent doctrine centered on cultivating a pious and committed elite, promoting the Brotherhood- influenced Salafism, and pursuing the ultimate goal of restoring the caliphate. Differences among local branches are largely tactical and do not challenge the movement’s foundational principles. 

As Pierre Vermeren observes, “their main enemy remains nationalism and the nation-state, viewed as a colonial and European legacy that divides the Ummah.”

The Brotherhood’s international expansion owes its success to a combination of organizational discipline, robust social networks, strategic exile, and ideological flexibility. These elements enabled the movement to establish a political and social presence in numerous countries while adapting to local realities. According to Vermeren, “the movement was born out of a context of oppression and political disorientation, but its capacity to adapt and expand has made the Muslim Brotherhood a central actor in the contemporary Arab-Muslim world.”

From colonial Egypt in the 1930s to contemporary Arab societies and diaspora communities in Europe and North America, the Muslim Brotherhood has turned a national crisis into a transnational project. Exile, social networks, tactical alliances, and ideological flexibility continue to underpin the movement’s longevity and enduring influence.