Jordanian authorities have arrested Engineer Murad Abdel Hamid al-Adayleh, the General Supervisor of the Muslim Brotherhood, nearly two months after the group was officially banned in the country.

Al-Adayleh, 60, a respected Islamic thinker and longtime advocate for reform, justice, and political participation within an Islamic framework, is the highest-ranking Brotherhood figure to be detained since the movement's establishment in Jordan nearly seven decades ago. His arrest marks a dramatic escalation in the government's campaign against the Islamic movement, which continues to enjoy significant grassroots support.

Jordanian media, citing unnamed official sources, claimed that security agencies had opened an investigation into the Brotherhood's financial activities. They alleged the existence of a cross-border financial network, accusations which Brotherhood supporters have strongly rejected as politically motivated and lacking in transparency.

The authorities also claimed to have confiscated documents during searches of several Islamic centers, accusing the movement of unauthorized fundraising — a common charge used by autocratic regimes to silence Islamic opposition voices.

Following the Brotherhood’s banning, the Jordanian government moved swiftly to seize all properties and assets belonging to the group, including charitable institutions, schools, and offices. It further threatened legal action against citizens who express support for the Brotherhood on media or social platforms, in what critics describe as an open assault on freedom of expression and political pluralism.

Observers note that this unprecedented step — arresting the General Supervisor — sets a dangerous precedent and risks inflaming tensions across the country. Many see it as an attempt to weaken Islamic activism and to align Jordan more closely with the anti-Islamic policies pushed by foreign powers hostile to grassroots Islamic movements across the region.

The Muslim Brotherhood, known as al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin, has long been a pillar of peaceful Islamic political engagement in Jordan, advocating for the rights of the oppressed, the integrity of Islamic identity, and the accountability of governments. The arrest of al-Adayleh is seen by supporters as part of a broader strategy to criminalize Islamic thought and resistance to authoritarianism.

Calls are growing across the Islamic world for the immediate release of Murad al-Adayleh and for an end to the ongoing crackdown on one of the region’s most enduring and principled Islamic movements. (ILKHA)