Mustafa Mashhur Mashhur
Fifth General Guide (Murshid al-'am) of the Muslim Brotherhood
Born: 15 September 1921
Minya El Qamh Sharqia Governorate
Died: 15 November 2002
Al-Murshideen cemetery - Nasr City
Qualification: College of Science - King Fuad I University (Known as Cairo University now)
Job: Meteorologist
Childhood and Early Life
Mustafa Mashhur was born on 15th September 1921 in Al-Saadiyin town in Minya El Qamh - Sharqia Governorate. He joined the town's school. He graduated from the Faculty of Science, King Quad I University (Known as Cairo University now) in 1942 and worked as a meteorologist.
Joining the Muslim Brotherhood
Mashhur learned about the Muslim Brotherhood when he was a high school student in Cairo in 1936. His ties with the Muslim Brotherhood strengthened at the university, where he showed good talents and organizational abilities. Therefore, he was chosen to be one of the five leaders of the ''private regime'' at the Muslim Brotherhood in 1940.
Times of Hardship
Mustafa Mashhour spent more than 20 years in jail. In 1948, he was sentenced to three years in jail. Later on, Mashhour was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1954, after the events of ''Manshiyya''. He was arrested again in 1965 and held without charges until President Anwar Sadat pardoned political prisoners in 1971. He was also on the wanted list in 1981 although he was not in Egypt at that time.
The Guide for Challenging Tasks
Mashhour was known for his organizational abilities. He played a major role in reshaping the ''private regime'' during the era of Al-Hassan al-Hudaybi ( The second General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood). He stood next to him along with the Constituent Assembly of the Muslim Brotherhood. He also supported Al-Hudaybi in prison against the case of ''Takfir'' that happened at that time.
Mashhour was the pillar that sought to bring the Muslim Brotherhood back again in the seventies. He was known as the ''quiet person '' who used to achieve tasks without drawing an attention. He had an active role in educating the members of the Muslim Brotherhood, restructuring the international organization once more and following up on the Brotherhood’s activities. He was selected to be the deputy of Muhammad Hamid Abu al-Nasr (Fourth General Guide) along with Dr. Ahmed Al-Malt. Then he was chosen as the fifth General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1996.
Death
Mashhour went into a coma for a few days before he died on the 10th Ramadan 1423 AH, 15th November 2002 . He was buried in ''Al-Murshideen'' cemetery in Nasr City.