During the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz—may God have mercy on him—and during one of his visits to Egypt at the invitation of the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the King requested that the President release the imprisoned members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who were being subjected to daily torture. President Nasser agreed to the King’s request.
Many of the Brotherhood prisoners were subsequently deported abroad. Some left for Europe, others for various Arab and Islamic countries, to continue their Islamic missionary work, as many of them possessed advanced academic and scientific qualifications. The remaining members of the Brotherhood traveled to Saudi Arabia, where some obtained Saudi citizenship. They played a significant role in enriching religious scholarship in the Kingdom. Some of those released at King Saud’s request settled in Iraq, where many Iraqis were influenced by the Brotherhood’s teachings.
I do not intend here to recount the full history of the Brotherhood’s activities in the rest of the Arab world, for the evidence of their influence is clear: Arabs and Muslims across the region were deeply affected by the Brotherhood’s message and by their modern methods of spreading Islamic teachings.
Some Brotherhood cadres settled in Al‑Zubair, a city that closely resembles a Najdi town, as most of its inhabitants trace their origins to villages in Najd. Historically, Najdis settled in Al‑Zubair nearly 300 years ago. Returning to the main story: the Brotherhood established themselves in Al‑Zubair in the early 1950s and became deeply involved in education and modern teaching methods, from which many students benefited.
I will not delve into the details of Islamic missionary history in Kuwait or the influence of the Brotherhood on Kuwaiti preachers in the past. Sheikh Abdullah Al‑‘Ajil (or Al‑‘Aqil) documented this history in a 500‑page book about Islamic preaching in Al‑Zubair and Kuwait, both of which were influenced by the Brotherhood. The author previously served as Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf and was known for his integrity, high moral character, and dedication to religious scholarship.
Many Kuwaitis, Saudis, and Emiratis were influenced by the Brotherhood’s teachings. In the UAE, the Social Reform Society is known to have been influenced by the Brotherhood. These Islamic associations in the mentioned countries operated with the knowledge, approval, and oversight of their governments, and were even financially supported. The people of the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia know the figures of Islamic preaching well, and they hold a respected place in the hearts of the public. Gulf citizens affiliated with the Brotherhood have held high positions in their countries and have managed Gulf capital with competence. Their aspiration for political participation is not driven by a desire for power, but by cooperation and oversight for the benefit of their homelands. Today’s struggle is between authoritarianism and individual rule on one side, and collective thinking and political participation on the other. For this reason, many recognize that the Brotherhood’s message and the Gulf states share a historical common ground.
A Final Note
Throughout the long history of Hajj and Umrah, since the time of Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al‑Wahhab—may God have mercy on him—countless Muslim pilgrims from across the Arab and Islamic worlds have been influenced by the pure Salafi call. This influence played a historic role in anti‑colonial resistance over many decades. Among those influenced in Egypt were many individuals—too numerous to count. This is solely by the grace of God.