A look at the history of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, examining why the group failed to capitalise on its political advantage during the Syrian uprising and civil war.

When the convulsions of the Arab Spring first became manifest in Syria in March 2011, the Ba'athist regime was quick to blame the protests on the "Syrian Muslim Brotherhood" and its "al-Qaeda affiliates." But who are these Islamists so determined to rule a post-Assad Syria? Little has been published on militant Islam in Syria since Hafez Assad's regime destroyed the Islamist movement in its stronghold of Hama in February 1982. This book bridges that gap by providing readers with the first comprehensive account of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's history to date. In this ground-breaking account of Syria's most prominent, yet highly secretive, Islamist organisation, the author draws on previously untapped sources: the memoirs of former Syrian jihadists; British and American archives; and also a series of wide-ranging interviews with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's historical leaders as well as those who battled against them--many speaking on the record for the first time.Ashes of Hama uncovers the major aspects of the Islamist struggle: from the Brotherhood's radicalisation and its "jihad" against the Ba'athist regime and subsequent exile, to a spectacular comeback at the forefront of the Syrian revolution in 2011--a remarkable turnaround for an Islamist movement which all analysts had pronounced dead amid the ruins of Hama in 1982.

Anyone who follows world events has heard of the Muslim Brotherhood. Usually considered a fundamentalist religious organisation opposed to secular regimes, the so-called Arab Spring began to challenge this conception, and showed the MB's commitment to democratic principles and elections, albeit with certain difficulties. Until now though, most analysis has focused on the Egyptian branch - the group that gave spiritual birth to the local branches in other countries - with very little having been studied about the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, especially since the Hama massacre of 1982 and the formal disappearance of the group from Syria. This book provides a deep insight into the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's ideological evolution from its inception until present-day. Since Syria has unfortunately become the place where all forms of Islamism converge, understanding the SMB, their ideological evolution, and their potential role as moderating forces, is essential in order to debunk some clichés on the MB in general. Each chapter corresponds to a specific period in the SMB's timeline, while the final chapter discusses how the endemic gerontocracy of the group calls for an urgent renovation of structures, and stresses the importance of younger generations in renovating the ideology of the SMB. Through the examination of original primary sources written by the SMB themselves, and relevant groups related to them, this book challenges the traditional categories applied to Islamist movements. It will therefore be a key resource for anyone studying Islamist movements, as well as for students and scholars of Middle East and North African Politics.

Anyone who follows world events has heard of the Muslim Brotherhood. Usually considered a fundamentalist religious organisation opposed to secular regimes, the so-called Arab Spring began to challenge this conception, and showed the MB’s commitment to democratic principles and elections, albeit with certain difficulties. Until now though, most analysis has focused on the Egyptian branch – the group that gave spiritual birth to the local branches in other countries – with very little having been studied about the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, especially since the Hama massacre of 1982 and the formal disappearance of the group from Syria. This book provides a deep insight into the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood’s ideological evolution from its inception until present-day. Since Syria has unfortunately become the place where all forms of Islamism converge, understanding the SMB, their ideological evolution, and their potential role as moderating forces, is essential in order to debunk some clichés on the MB in general. Each chapter corresponds to a specific period in the SMB’s timeline, while the final chapter discusses how the endemic gerontocracy of the group calls for an urgent renovation of structures, and stresses the importance of younger generations in renovating the ideology of the SMB. Through the examination of original primary sources written by the SMB themselves, and relevant groups related to them, this book challenges the traditional categories applied to Islamist movements. It will therefore be a key resource for anyone studying Islamist movements, as well as for students and scholars of Middle East and North African Politics.

A new, fully updated edition of this critically acclaimed title featuring a new chapter covering the 'Arab Spring' and the Egyptian parliamentary and presidential elections. This is an authoritative analysis, in which Alison Pargeter follows the twists and turns of the Muslim Brotherhood as it battled through the years of oppression under authoritarian regimes to finally become a key and legitimate political actor. From Egypt and Syria to Tunisia and Libya, the Brotherhood and its affiliates are now faced with the complex task of transforming themselves from semi-clandestine opposition movements into legitimate political actors and, in some cases, into ruling powers. 'Authoritative, sober, perceptive ... A must read' Jason Burke. 'A tour de force' Alan George, University of Oxford. 'A highly lucid and approachable analysis of the Brotherhood' Richard Phelps, Perspectives on Terrorism. 'Highly recommended' New Statesman.

A wide-ranging account of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan and its ideological and behavioural development since its founding in 1945.

Contemporary studies on Syria assume that the country’s Ba’thist regime has been effective in subduing its Islamic opposition, placing Syria at odds with the Middle East’s larger trends of rising Islamic activism and the eclipse of secular ideologies as the primary source of political activism. Yet this assumption founders when confronted with the clear resurgence in Islamic militantism in the country since 2004. This book examines Syria’s current political reality as regards its Islamic movement, describing the country’s present day Islamic groups – particularly their social profile and ideology – and offering an explanation of their resurgence. The analysis focuses on: Who are today’s Syrian Islamic groups? Why and how are they re-emerging after 22 years of relative silence as an important socio-economic and political force? How is the Syrian state dealing with their re-emergence in light of Syria’s secularism and ideologically diverse society? Bridging area studies, Islamic studies, and political science, this book will be an important reference for those working within the fields of Comparative Politics, Political Economy, and Middle Eastern Studies.