A top theorist of the Jamā’ah, Ibrāhīm preferred to quit any posts in the group and focused on reconsidering all political and fiqh (jurisprudence) visions being pursued during the early years of the group. He has become a model of altering extremist ideologies and switching bravely to moderation.

“The Jamā’ah has been true to its violence-renouncing initiative. While lawlessness hit the nation in the aftermath of the January 25, 2011 revolution, none of the Jamā’ah’s sons committed any violations of the law. On the contrary, the Jamā’ah members protected police stations, churches and banks, particularly in Upper Egypt,” Ibrāhīm said in an interview with Watanī newspaper.

He said the initiative has been a model of constructive review, adding some of the Jamā’ah members have been involved in mistakes committed against Christians in Egypt, mistakes that are never in line with the Islamic sharī’ah.

“Those brothers (of the Jamā’ah) have been sentenced to life in prison or killed in clashes with security forces. On behalf of those brothers who committed mistakes against Christians during the 1970s and 1980s, I personally apologize to Copts,” said 56-year-old Ibrāhīm, who was imprisoned for 24 years after the 1981 assassination of former Egyptian President Muhammad Anwar al-Sādāt.

The top leader of the Jamā’ah, who carries university degrees in medicine, arts and law and the author of 25 books, mostly on da’wah (call) and Islamic thought and translated into English, French and German, had announced an initiative with fellow member Shaykh Karam Zuhdī renouncing violence, launching an ideological revision and disbanding the Jamā’ah’s military wing. [Robeir al-Fāris, Watanī, March 4, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic