A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Friday, July 13, 2012

A Subtle Saudi Message About Morsi and the MB?

I already commented on the questionable timing and choice of destination of Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi's first trip abroad, since the visit to Saudi Arabia might fuel complaints that the Muslim Brotherhood is under Saudi influence.

I'm a few days late in noticing the Saudis are helping that impression along on their own: the Saudi-owned Al-Sharq Al-Awsat ran a major story (image above left) on the history of relations between the Kingdom and the Muslim Brotherhood. The story is in Arabic at the link, but let's take a closer look at the photo (from 1936) that they chose to illustrate it:
Why yes, that (the man in the fez) is the late Hasan al-Banna, Egyptian founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, bowing and kissing the hand of King ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Al Sa‘ud, the man called "Ibn Saud" in the West, the founder of Saudi Arabia and father of all Saudi Kings down to the present time, including King ‘Abdullah, who has welcomed President Morsi, follower of Banna, to Egypt.

No subtle messages there? Or perhaps not so subtle?

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