By Hammam Abdul-Ma'boud, IOL Staff

CAIRO, October 30 (IslamOnline) - Former judge Mohammad Ma'moun el-Hodaibi, deputy guide-general and official spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood, has temporarily undertaken all responsibilities of general guidance of the group, said Mohammad Morsi el-Ayyat, spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Egyptian People's Assembly (parliament) Wednesday, October 30.

In exclusive statements to IslamOnline, El-Ayyat said the group's bylaw stipulates that the deputy guide-general assumes the responsibilities of the guide-general whenever the latter is unable to do so because of illness, arrest or travel.

The Muslim Brotherhood guide-general Mustafa Mashhour was admitted to intensive care unit in El-Nozha Hospital Tuesday, October 29, after suffering a brain stroke.

"The work of the Muslim Brotherhood is institutional and does not depend on a particular person. The post of guide-general does not hamper the institutional work of the group because more than 90 percent of the group's activities do not, for the major part, depend on the guide-general," El-Ayyat told IslamOnline.

He ruled out any differences inside the group regarding the choice of the guide-general in case the post became vacant.

This will be done through elections, stressed El-Ayyat.

Well-informed sources inside the Muslim Brotherhood told IslamOnline that the group's guidance office will nominate a successor for Mashhour if he passes away.

Hodaibi is the son of late Hassan el-Hodaibi, the second guide-general of the Muslim Brotherhood in the period from 1950 until his death November 11, 1973.

Hodaibi was the spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Egyptian parliament (37 lawmakers) in the 1987 four-year parliamentary session.