Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Gamal al-Banna (1920-2013), R.I.P.

A fine man died in Cairo on December 30, 2013.  Dr. Gamal, as so many people knew him, was the younger brother of Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.  Long estranged from the Ikhwan, he was very much his own man, and he offered a voice of reason and moderation, as well as courage.  He was also a generous host, and I remember hours spent chatting with him in his home-cum-library.  Despite his advanced age, he could easily hold his own with intellectuals half his age, and he was admired and respected by many, many young people.
He deserves a longer reflection, which I will provide here in the days to come.
A 2009 profile appeared in the al-Ahram Weekly.


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