Up until these events, a group of Muslim youth used to visit me on a daily basis. First among them was Brother ‘Abd al-Fattah Isma’il. Clearly now with Nasir’s ambitions for me, I could no longer allow these visits to continue and therefore informed my respected brother of my decision. He informed me that he had already requested just that of the youth but they were insistent that nothing should change. Their visits would go ahead as usual.
On another occasion, the Muslim Ladies Group’s administrative secretary tried to give me a file which she wanted to show me in my capacity as President of this group. Both my husband and the wife of Hasan al-Hudaibi, the supreme guide (al-Murshid al-‘Am) of the Muslim Brotherhood3 (al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun) were in my room at this time. I watched helplessly as my husband quickly guided my visitor away and I overheard him reminding the secretary that he had already forbidden her giving me any work-related documents. My husband’s explanation, when I tried to find out what was going on, was that Doctor Abdullah’s permission was necessary before I undertook any kind of activity. The doctor later, and after an examination of my leg, confirmed that it was he who had ordered that none of the group’s documents or news should reach me. I protested, claiming that it was a simple matter of signing a few documents, but he was adamant. The days passed by slowly and again I begged the doctor to allow me to do some of the group’s work. My requests were met with the same refusal. By now though I was certain that there was something which everyone was trying to hide from me.
In what seemed like weeks later, and after mustering great courage, the secretary again came to inform me, in the presence of my husband, of the decree to close down the General Headquarters of the Muslim Ladies Group. I could hardly believe my ears and almost snatched the papers from her only to read its confirmation in black and white.
‘Alhamdu Lillah, but the government has no right to do this, we are an Islamic group.’
‘No one can say to this government it has no right. We have tried everything, but Nasir is adamant about dissolving the group. Worse still, he hates you personally, Hajjah Zainab! for he can’t stand the mentioning of your name in his presence. If anybody does make reference to you he immediately stops the meeting with whoever has done so.’
‘Praise be to Allah that he fears me and detests me. I too detest him, for Allah. Nasir’s despotism only serves to increase our persistence to please our consciences and live for the fulfilment of our mission, the mission of tawhid. We will triumph, insha’ Allah, and the least that we can give for that is to be martyred for its sake.’
‘Hajjah’, she said with tears in her eyes, ‘the matter is very serious, I pray also to Allah that it won’t end with the banning of our Group. But perhaps the very words you say now are being recorded, they may have bugged the room.’
The secretary whispered these words into my ear as if she were afraid that what she said was true, and she carried on whispering: ‘Hajjah, I request you to do a small thing, please sign this paper. If you do, the decree to ban our group will be reversed.’
I asked her to hand over the piece of paper. It was a membership card for the Socialist Union.
‘No, by Allah. May my hand be paralysed if I ever sign that which will incriminate me, in front of Allah, with acquiescing to the despotic rule of Nasir who killed ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Awdah and his colleagues. Those who have soiled their hands with the blood of the faithful, are adversaries of Allah and of all believers. It is more honourable for us to let the Muslim Ladies Group be dissolved.’
She kissed my head, and with tears in her eyes, asked: ‘Do you trust that I am your daughter?’
‘Yes!’
Then leave this issue.’
‘We will leave it, and I won’t sign this paper. Our signature implies allegiance to a despot, which is an impossible thing for us to do. Allah will do that which He chooses for His Servants.’
Several more days passed in hospital, and then to my relief it was decided that I could continue the treatment at home.
Dealings with the Socialist Union
At home, the secretary would visit me daily, and on one occasion quite out of the blue she informed me that the ban decree had been lifted. Surprised, I asked how this had happened.
‘I honestly don’t know, but it may well be for the sake of opening up channels of communication with you.’
Despite a return visit to the hospital for an operation to remove the pins from my thigh, I had by now assumed my function of running the affairs of the Muslim Ladies Group from home. Meanwhile, (Imam Shahid) Sayyid Qutb had been released and together with a number of Muslim brothers, visited me in hospital. Imagine my surprise then when a recorded delivery item arrived containing a card with the inscription:
‘Arab Socialist Union’
Liberty-Socialism-Unity
Name: Zainab al-Ghazali al-Jubaili, known as: Zainab al-Ghazali.
Occupation: President of The Muslim Ladies Group.
Borough: al-Basatin-Almaza.
County: Misr al-Jadidah.
District: al-Qahirah.
Enclosed with the card was a receipt showing that my membership fee for 1964 had been paid. I laughed bitterly at what had become of Egypt; we used to live in freedom, but the military coup had changed all that.4 Thereafter, invitations from the Socialist Union, to attend its meetings, began pouring through my letter-box. I ignored them. Instead my energies were concentrated on gradually resuming my activities in the general office of the Muslim Ladies Group; with the aid of a walking stick my movements were now less inhibited.
I was in the general office one morning when the phone rang; the secretary wanted me to speak with someone from the Socialist Union. I picked up the phone: ‘Assalam Alaikum.’
‘Wa Alaikum assalam.’
‘Yes, what can I do for you?’
The caller asked me if I was Zainab al-Ghazali, and when my answer was in the affirmative he said: ‘This is the Socialist Union. The members of the Muslim Ladies’ administrative committee, and you first and foremost, are requested to take your banners and go to the airport to welcome the President home.’
‘Insha’ Allah, Allah does what He wills and chooses.’
‘This is our request, we want the administrative committee, as well as a great number of the general committee’s members to be present. If you require, we will arrange for a car to be at your disposal.’
‘Thank you.’
Here the call ended.
A few days later, I received another phone call from the Socialist Union. It was a lady; she wanted to know why we had not been present at the airport to welcome the President. By way of response I said: ‘We members of the Muslim Ladies’ administrative committee, and the general council, all observe Islamic behaviour, therefore, we cannot be present in such crowded welcomes.’
‘How can that be Madam Zainab? It seems that you don’t want to co-operate with us. Did you inform the other members and did they each in turn refuse?’
‘How could I have informed them when I am not convinced of your request which runs counter to the teachings of Islam?’
‘You are not co-operating with us!’
‘We stick to the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Our pact is with Allah, our co-operation can only be in issues of good and beneficence. Perhaps you will concede that the telephone is not a suitable medium for such a discussion?’
‘You are welcome here! We will wait for you in the Socialist