Tariq Ramadan and The Muslim Brotherhood in North America

Undermining National Institutions

Tariq Ramadam’s North American visit is raising the usual series of arguments. The Swiss born scholar and public speaker is the grandson of Hassan Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in 1928. Mr Ramadam has been declared persona non grata in various Middle Eastern states and has been banned from entering others on various occasions. To some, he is the voice of a new form of moderate Islam which could be compatible with Western democratic values. To others, he is the voice of duplicity with messages that vary depending on the audience.

But what about the baggage he carries - that being the grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood? Also known as the Ikwan, the Muslim Brotherhood has a decidedly mixed history. It has at times been a violent terrorist group, but in later days, it has sworn off violence as a tactic. They remain listed as a terrorist group in Egypt, even though they ceased violence there in 1973 and have members sitting (unofficially) in the Egyptian Parliament. The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria followed suit in 1983 and have since abstained from major acts of political violence.

While many of the international arms of the Muslim Brotherhood have also sworn off violence, others have not. HAMAS, which is viewed as the Palestinian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, is still listed as a terrorist group by some countries. It military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is also listed as a terrorist group. Political violence and terrorism has been a common activity for HAMAS.

But what of the Muslim Brotherhood in North America (Canada and the United States)? Where does it stand and how does it perceive its role? Consider the views of the North American Muslim Brotherhood in their own words which recently came to light in the United States as the result of a criminal prosecution and conviction of the Holy Land Foundation. In their Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group In North America they make the statement that their work is a “kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ’sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated…”

In the document noted above, the Muslim Brotherhood in North America also provides what it describes as a list of our organizations and the organizations of our friends. At the very top of the list of 29 organizations is the ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) and the MSA (Muslim Students Association).

Ironically, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in Canada both list the ISNA as federal charities which can offer tax receipts for donors. Other organizations or “friends” of the Muslim Brotherhood are also listed by the IRS as charities such as the North American Islamic Trust and the Islamic Circle of North America.

One thing is clear from a reading of this document. The role of the Muslim Brotherhood is not to protect and nurture the growth of a new and “Western” form of Islam, nor is it there to provide an institutional voice to protect mainstream Muslims. Rather, it perceives itself an organization which is aimed, along with its allies, at undermining the various institutions of the state over an extended period of time.

The opinions expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Global Brief or the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs.