Here is a detailed response analyzing the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood when it was formed in 1928:
The Muslim Brotherhood (Al-Ikhwān al-Muslimūn) was founded in 1928 in Egypt by Hassan al-Banna as an Islamic religious, political, and social movement. One of the key initial goals of the Muslim Brotherhood when it was first formed was to promote Islamic fundamentalism and pan-Islamism in Egypt and the broader Middle East.
Specifically, the Muslim Brotherhood aimed to establish Sharia-based governance in Egypt and other Muslim-majority countries, rejecting secularism and Western cultural influences which were seen as having corrupted Islamic societies. The Brotherhood advocated a return to traditional Islamic values as a means of moral and spiritual reform.
In the context of 1920s Egypt which was under British occupation, the Muslim Brotherhood positioned itself in opposition to imperialism and Western secular ideologies like capitalism and communism. The Brotherhood saw Islamic fundamentalism as an authentic alternative that could promote cultural pride and independence.
However, promoting peaceful coexistence in Palestine was not an initial goal of the Muslim Brotherhood when it was formed. In its early years, the Brotherhood was focused on Egypt and did not emphasize the Palestinian cause. It was only later, after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, that the Brotherhood became actively involved in the Palestinian resistance movement.
Similarly, the Brotherhood was not specifically aimed at fostering Egyptian nationalism in its early stages. While it sought Egypt's independence from Britain, it saw pan-Islamic unity as more important than nationalism. The Brotherhood was critical of secular Egyptian nationalists for their lack of religious orientation.
In summary, the key initial goal of the Muslim Brotherhood upon its founding in 1928 was to promote Islamic fundamentalism and a return to traditional religious values, as an alternative to secularism and Westernization in Egypt and other Muslim nations. Advocating peaceful coexistence in Palestine or Egyptian nationalism specifically were not major priorities in the Brotherhood's early years.