التاريخ : الأحد 04 أكتوبر 2026 . القسم : The Message
Dr. Salah Abdel Haq's Message to Detainees in Egypt
To our loved ones behind bars in Egypt’s prisons,
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds; and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), and upon his kinship, and all his companions and whoever follows his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
Allah Almighty says in Surat Al Qasas: ﴾ And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors. ﴿ (A-Qasas: 5).
I begin my message to you with this noble verse from the holy Quran, giving you the good news that injustice, however long it lasts, must come to an end; and that Allah’s will is supreme; for if He – Glory be to Him – decrees relief, there is none to turn back His bounty, nor any to withhold His mercy.
Allah Almighty says in Surat Fatir: ﴾ Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy - none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds - none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.﴿ (Fatir: 2). And He Almighty says in Surat Yusuf: ﴾ …We touch with Our mercy whom We will, and We do not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.﴿ (Yusuf: 5).
To our loved ones the detainees, both men and women (our brothers and sisters) from the Muslim Brotherhood,
To our loved ones the detainees, both men and women (our brothers and sisters) from the nation's noble people and honorable ones,
To you, who dwell behind the walls of oppression and tyranny – victims of injustice and aggression, for you were bound in irons and tormented by torture; and a barrier was placed between you and your families and kinship,
To those who sacrifice the prime of their lives so that their country may live free,
To the noble ones who refused to compromise in their faith or their homeland; and they remain steadfast in their principles, standing firm in the face of adversity,
To the oppressed who refused to accept injustice, and they still refuse to submit to oppression, while their hearts were heavily weighed down with the anguish of the various forms of torture to which they were subjected day and night, in a flagrant violation of justice and of rights guaranteed by wise Sharia (Islamic law), the constitution, and the legal system, and enshrined in prison regulations and international human rights charters,
Foremost among these is the right to life, as its violation constitutes the most severe form of assault on human rights, as so many martyred prisoners have perished under torture or due to the denial of medical treatment!
Next comes the violation of the right to freedom; for you have been cut off from your families, kin, and children, deprived of the warmth of family life, the right to meet one another, and the opportunity to share in the joys and sorrows of your loved ones.
You have also been denied prisoners' rights regarding food, visitation, medical care, and exercise; indeed, you have been deprived even of the light of day, the cool summer breeze, and the warmth of winter nights.
Even those held in prolonged pretrial detention have seen their hopes for long-awaited redress and justice – delayed as it is – dashed. Amidst the squandering of so many rights and layers upon layers of injustice, you are fully justified in raising your voices and demanding your rights, full and undiminished; and it is the duty of those entrusted with authority over the people to respond to your just demands.
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Our brothers and sisters, the detainees,
The circulated reports of violations committed against you that reach our ears make it only natural for you – should you choose to do so – to tirelessly demand your disregarded rights; for these are legitimate, guaranteed rights, not a gift or a favor bestowed by anyone.
Allah Almighty says in Surat Al Shura: ﴾ And whoever avenges himself after having been wronged - those have not upon them any cause [for blame].﴿ (Al Shura: 41).
Our duty toward you is to support your demands and voice your grievances. We champion your freedom – an absolute freedom – and uphold your full rights, extending well beyond the confines of prison walls. We are sparing no effort to achieve this; and we shall know no rest nor peace of mind until you return to your homes.
The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has placed the issue of releasing political detainees at the heart of its political initiatives and diverse engagements, making it a cornerstone of its ongoing coordination with all national forces. Many politicians and intellectuals have championed this cause, to the point where your freedom has become a national and popular demand for every patriotic citizen – a cause that gains new allies and supporters every day.
We also continue our efforts to share your story and raise awareness of your cause through the media, ensuring that your voice – despite censorship and information blackouts – reaches the widest possible audience.
On the human rights front, the Brotherhood closely monitors every detail regarding news and violations concerning you; it tracks and documents these matters, conveying your suffering and pain to relevant international human rights stakeholders in the pursuit of your freedom. Your cause will remain a top priority in our political, media, and human rights efforts.
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And to those in power,
From this position, I offer counsel to those who unjustly wrong others and bind innocent souls in captivity: I urge them to reflect deeply on their actions and to be mindful of the trust Allah has placed in their hands.
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "A woman was punished on account of a cat which she held captive till it died. Hence, she entered the Hellfire due to (her mistreatment of) the cat. She did not feed it or give it water while she held it captive, nor did she let it out so that it may eat the things that creep on the earth." [Agreed upon by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim].
What, then, of the one who imprisons a person, separating them from their family and the very pieces of their heart – their parents – or who imprisons a vulnerable woman or an elderly, ailing man, without any guilt or crime? Truly, the reckoning before Allah will be severe.
Allah Almighty says in Surat Taha: ﴾ And [all] faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. And he will have failed who carries injustice.﴿ (Taha: 111).
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To conclude, we urge all to continue praying for you – O brothers and sisters – in absence, turning to Allah Almighty – in Whose hands lies the dominion of the heavens and the earth – with hearts humbled before Him, beseeching Him to lift all harm from you.
It is our hope that we do our very utmost, and that our prayers for you coincide with a moment of sincerity during a time when supplications are answered – opening the gates of heaven, transforming your situation, and relieving your distress. May you soon find happiness in freedom and enjoy the finest and most abundant reward; may your pain vanish while the spiritual recompense remains, bringing joy to our hearts.
Our beloved and great ones, the detainees,
For now, we leave you in the care of Allah, with whom no trusts are lost. We urge you to pack yourselves with patience and find solace in the remembrance of Allah; for patience is the provision of the believers, and victory is the ultimate outcome for the patient – and tomorrow is close at hand for those who await it.
Allah Almighty says in Surat Al Shuara: ﴾Except those [poets] who believe and do righteous deeds and remember Allah often and defend [the Muslims] after they were wronged. And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned.﴿ (Al Shuara: 227).
Allah is the Greatest, and praise be to Allah,
Dr. Salah Abdel Haq
Acting General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood
(Thursday, 23 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH, 4 October 2026 AD)