This is an eyewitness testimony about the heroism of the Mujahideen from the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine, as recounted by its author: "This is my testimony… I feared concealing it and being among those about whom Allah Almighty said: 'And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it—his heart is indeed sinful' (Al-Baqarah: 283). I also disliked publishing it during my lifetime, lest it diminish any reward I seek solely from Allah. Therefore, I have instructed that it be published after my passing, hoping that others may benefit from it."
This is how the late Egyptian preacher, Hassan Al-Jammal, began his eyewitness account in his book Jihad of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Canal and Palestine, published in 2000. In it, he documented his memories of the Brotherhood’s battles and heroic stances against the Zionist enemy.
Al-Jammal narrates the beginnings of his life and upbringing, offering a brief account of his family background. He describes how he grew up in the Manial Al-Roda neighborhood of Old Cairo and the moment he first saw the Muslim Brotherhood’s scouts marching in disciplined formation, wearing their unified attire. This sight drew him to the Brotherhood’s branch in Manial, where he took his first steps with the blessed movement.
The late Al-Jammal, who passed away in 1998, recounts that he joined a youth group within the Brotherhood, participated in various activities and faith-building camps, and regularly attended the Tuesday lesson of the martyred Imam Hassan Al-Banna. He speaks of how deeply he was influenced by Al-Banna’s words, which touched the hearts of listeners, and how he cherished performing night prayers behind the esteemed Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq, the author of Fiqh As-Sunnah.
The author explores different aspects of the Muslim Brotherhood’s commitment to the Palestinian cause—spiritually, politically, financially, and militarily. He highlights Al-Banna’s letter to Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, expressing his concern for Palestine, as well as a second letter sent to the Islamic Conference in Jerusalem in 1929.
In August 1933, the Muslim Brotherhood sent its first delegation to spread its message outside Egypt, with Palestine being the first destination. Following this visit, the Brotherhood’s headquarters in central Cairo became a hub for Palestinian jihad leaders.
Al-Jammal’s testimony delves into the resolutions of the First Arab Conference for Palestine, organized by the Brotherhood in 1938, which concluded with recommendations urging Arab and Muslim governments to intervene to save Palestine from the British-Zionist conspiracy. This led to communication with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Abdel Rahman Azzam Pasha, and the formation of the Palestine Rescue Front.
A fundraising campaign quickly began, accompanied by protests and demonstrations, and Al-Banna announced the mobilization of 10,000 volunteers for jihad in support of Palestine and Al-Aqsa. Al-Jammal was among those who joined the training camps, undergoing medical examinations and military drills, learning how to use weapons, engage in combat tactics, and conduct guerilla warfare. Despite his family’s objections, he insisted on joining the fight in Palestine.
Al-Jammal details the formation of the Brotherhood’s battalions, listing the names of officers and soldiers, and describes the journey to Sinai and the crossing into Palestine on April 28, 1948. Upon reaching Khan Yunis, they were greeted with ululations, celebrating the arrival of Egyptian Mujahideen to confront Zionist militias.
Regarding the first martyr, Al-Jammal recounts how, in their first engagement against enemy militias, Fathi Al-Khouli, from the Brotherhood’s branch in Sayyida Zainab, Cairo, was martyred—becoming the first martyr of the first battalion. He was buried in a military funeral in Khan Yunis.
As for the Kfar Darom battle, it became a stage for extraordinary heroism. One such act of bravery was that of Omar Othman from the Brotherhood’s Alexandria branch, who threw himself onto barbed wire laced with explosives, causing it to be blown apart and creating a passage for his fellow Mujahideen. However, tactical errors in executing the attack plan led to the martyrdom of 46 fighters in that battle. Al-Jammal recorded their names to honor their memory.
Born in 1930, the author provides detailed accounts of other military operations and heroics, while also shedding light on some strategic mistakes—such as the dispersion of volunteer forces, shortages of arms and ammunition, premature attacks, and insufficient reconnaissance of the enemy. He also discusses how the acceptance of a ceasefire on June 8, 1948, allowed the Zionists to reorganize and strengthen their forces, ultimately leading to the Arab armies’ defeat, the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the assassination of Al-Banna on February 12, 1949.
Al-Jammal’s testimony includes anecdotes from times of hardship, heroic moments, and stories of Brotherhood martyrs in Palestine. He then shifts focus to their struggle against British occupation in the Suez Canal, describing how the Brotherhood orchestrated economic blockades against British soldiers, cut off food supplies to their camps, bombed their ammunition depots, and sabotaged railway lines to disrupt their supply routes. He also details the Battle of Tel Al-Kabir on November 9, 1951, and commemorates Brotherhood members who were martyred in battles against the British in the Canal region.
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